Prose log with Rahal
Who: Elaine and Rahal
What: Elaine tries to get to know some of the new prettier residents better. Rahal does not approve.
Where: Tavern and Elaine's room.
Warnings: Shameless flirting and suggestions.
Elaine was in her favorite place; the bar. She sat facing the room in her barstool, leaning against the bar half filled drink in hand. She hadn’t been there long, only a drink and a half. She didn’t like needing to buy her own drinks, but she couldn’t exactly charm one out of a random patron when she was already waiting for a handsome young thing to keep her company. She knew he had some cleaning up to do, but that didn’t make the wait any better.
Rahal felt incredibly uncomfortable doing this, but he couldn't very well back out now. Rahal was, above all else, a gentleman and his gentlemanly senses told him he could not abandon a lady for anything other than extreme sickness or a near death wound. He'd put Flail up, bathed, and dressed in his formal blue tunic and pants, his hair tugged back in a half-pony tail. He walked into the tavern, easily spotting Elaine at the bar. "Lady Elaine," he bowed.
Elaine smiled ear to ear at the greeting and bow; a girl could get used to being treated like that. She let out a loud single laugh, throwing forward her chest and bouncing her crossed legs against the stool. “So formal,” she said slowly getting up from the bar with an exaggerated twist of her shoulders. “You don’t need to do all that…trust me I’m not much of a lady.”
"Shall we get a table?" Rahal asked, seemingly unmoved by her well placed movements he figured were meant to accent her... assets. If anything it just made him uncomfortable. "Or we can remain at the bar if that is your pleasure."
“Don’t think you’re getting away without a drink just because we’re not at the bar,” Elaine joked, dropping from the stool and sauntering over to a nearby table. She looked back over her shoulder, “They bring them to you, you know.” She chose the table with more movements to accent not only her chest but other features, by this point not even consciously.
Of course Rahal knew that, but he was determined not to make a fool of himself and stick strictly to things nonalcoholic - and keep a close eye on those things Elaine attempted to make him drink or hand him in any way shape or form. He pulled out her chair for her, smiling as sweetly as he could without thinking about it. "I suppose, then, there's no point in asking if you'd like a drink. I feel I know the answer."
“Oh you’re so sweet!” she said to his offer. Elaine knew she was going to get some drinks out of him anyway, but it was also nice when she didn’t even have to ask. “I would love something,” she said slipping into a girlish voice. “The bartender knows what I like, just say it’s for me. And if you want to join me, just ask him for two.”
Rahal nodded and headed to the bar, and the name of his date hadn't even left his lips before the bar tender had the drink in front of him. "And tea for me," Rahal continued. The bar tender knew Rahal's problems with alcohol after the few times he had forgotten himself and drunk, so didn't question his odd tastes as he carried the drinks back to the table. He set down Elaine's drink before her and settled into his chair, blowing on his tea. "So, Lady Elaine, how did you become part of the 14th?"
Elaine might have been disappointed in Rahal’s choice, if she was paying any attention to it. She leaned back in her chair, taking the cup with her and sipping at it when he started talking. “Seems like I’ve always been a part of it,” she said, her gaze locked on to Rahal. “Worked for other teams, but didn’t fit right with them. Could have been worse though, I could have been assigned to the 12th, ha! Eventually I ended up with the 14th.” She sat her drink down and leaned forward over the table in interest. “What about you? Always loved lizards?”
"I grew up around them. My father was in the Calvary," he explained. "We lived at Sauronix - the headquarters for the Calvary. And it just seemed natural to follow in his footsteps. I trained in Gordius, joined a unit, became a Captain, and after the way I became Commander."
“Commander?” Elaine said actually sounding surprised. “You didn’t tell me you were so important.” Elaine made some new mental calculations as Rahal’s stock rose with this new information. “You’re not keeping other things from me are you?” she asked, hand sneaking it’s way to his side of the table.
Rahal used both hands to lift his mug of tea, thus moving them out of the way of Elaine's. "I don't put much stock in how I got the position, and I don't like to brag," he explained. "Plus, it seems silly to say I'm a Commander when the post is rather moot here."
“Power is only moot if you don’t use it,” Elaine said. Her hand stayed where it was, he would have to bring is hands down at some point. “Having a title like that has to get you a lot of attention from the girls.”
"What's the point of using it? I'm thirty years in the future and Flail is the only dragon horse around. There's nothing for me to use the title for," Rahal blinked, sipping his tea and settling hands and mug in his lap, politely avoiding her hand.
Elaine sighed, assuming Rahal was merely oblivious. She brought her hand back to grab her drink her other arm crossed on the edge of the table just below her breasts. “Modest and a good dresser,” she said, bringing her cup most of the way to her mouth. “Though I have to admit I’m kind of disappointed you decided to change.” She gave him a look over the cup’s edge and took a small sip.
Rahal fought his blush valiantly and managed to win - barely. "Yes, well, the bar tenders tends to disagree with customers coming in without shirts - no shirt, no shoes, no service after all. Though, I suppose that leaves pants optional."
Elaine let out another loud laugh, at what she assumed to be a suggestion. She played with the glass in her hand, and decided that if his hands weren’t available she would move on to somewhere else. “You could always set that new fashion,” she said just as her toe tapped lightly against Rahal’s shoe.
"I'll leave something like that up to Sir Kyle or perhaps one of the bolder, younger men here," Rahal said, feeling the tap and carefully nor reacting.
Elaine’s foot did not stay still, in fact it began to run along the other’s shoe and touched at the hem of his pants. “Oh? Who is Sir Kyle? He sounds exciting.”
"He's a Queen's Knight that got transporter her, recently married to Lady Bernadette," Rahal said, shifting and crossing his legs to put distance between himself and that wandering foot.
Elaine was getting a bit annoyed now by the rebuffs but that didn’t stop her from continuing to try. He may have moved one leg, but the other was still within reach. She continued with the new foot exactly where she had left off on the other, showing no outward signs that she was doing anything at all. “Well that sounds less exciting.”
Rahal smiled, letting her foot do as it wished, giving no sign he acknowledged the way she was touching him, figuring a direct out burst would only anger her and he knew the fury of a woman scorned and did not wish to repeat the experience any time soon. "They're expecting their first child. If Sir Roy is still here I can imagine him doing such a thing."
“Oh children, how nice.” Elaine took another sip of her glass, which quickly turned into draining the remains. “Oh no, that didn’t last long,” she complained, pushing her artificially pink lips into a pout. She shifted her shoulders, putting on a show of being a flirty female trying to see if she could get another free one out of Rahal without needing to ask.
Rahal raised his hand and made a motion, summoning one of the serving wenches. So long as he was here, he would be the gentleman and buy. It wasn't like he didn't have the money either. "I'm excited for them," he smiled. "It will be good for Sir Kyle. And, something I have wondered, do you still work from the 14th, Lady?"
Elaine looked on in triumph as he ordered her another round. She dropped her glass on the serving wenches tray. “Of course I still do,” she told him, bringing all of her attention back to him and his foot. “They’re taking care of something on the east side of Harmonia right now, there was just something I need to do here for a bit.”
An eyebrow rose in silent question, but he didn't pry. If the Lady wished to offer up her reasoning, so be it. If not, then that was her right as well. "Did you work with the others here during the Second Fire Bringer War?" he asked, trying to keep the subject on safe grounds.
If he had asked Elaine wasn’t going to tell him. It was no one’s business but hers why she was here. “Sure did,” she proudly told him. “Hired by that scum, Luc, first. But when we noticed that the 12th couldn’t possibly handle anything by themselves here we saved their asses and came to help.”
Ah, embellishment. It was fun, at times. "Oh? And did you come riding on white horses and all that?" he chuckled.
“Calvary, always thinking about horses,” Elaine teased. She had forgotten for a moment about flirting as her other favorite topic was brought up; slamming the 12th. “No, we didn’t need horses. The 12th were just standing around in a group of monsters looking like death. So jumped in, saved their butts and then dragged them halfway across the continent back here.”
Rahal laughed, both to make Elaine happy and because he found her tale a tad ridiculous - especially knowing Geddoe was part of the 12th and he highly doubted the man would ever need such rescuing. "Well, I'm sure that earned your squad quite a name for itself."
“We already had a name, it didn’t hurt though” Elaine said pridefully. “As much as a love reminiscing about such fun times, you didn’t really come here to talk about war did you?” The moment of no flirting was forgotten as she apparently was trying to make up for the lost time, putting all of her tricks out at once. The foot moved higher against Rahal’s leg, as she pushed forward against the table ample chest prominently on display.
Rahal's crossed leg came down, pushing Elaine's leg away - with enough force to make sure she knew he did not want her to start the actions again."Well, sadly, I must admit since I've spent most of my life serving the Calvary or training for it, I'm not schooled in much other talk," he apologized.
Elaine almost jumped off the table from the shock of the forceful movement below. She sat up straight in her chair, the flirtatious look in her demeanor tempered by shock, flashing with an unspoken challenge. “Well,” she began with a tilt of her head. “We don’t have to talk.”
He sipped his tea, blinking slowly at her. "Ah, yes, I forgot to ask if you wished for something to eat," he smiled, very aware of how she wanted the statement to be taken and purposefully giving it another view.
The challenge was more than just a flash, as she understood what he was doing and decided to turn it around on him. “Do you?” she asked, obviously not talking about food.
"Well, they do have a delicious chicken dish I'm partial to," Rahal smiled. "I highly recommend it."
Elaine deflated and dropped back against her chair staring off the side, obviously displeased. “Not hungry.”
Damn it. He had hoped to avoid this, but he just wasn't interested. "Perhaps another drink then?" he asked her instead, hoping alcohol would cheer her and save him from potential retribution.
“You going to join?” Elaine asked, with a heavy stare.
"I do not drink, Lady Elaine," Rahal informed her for what he thought to be the third time perhaps now. "I will gladly pay for whatever you wish to drink however."
“What are you afraid of?” She asked, voice sounding girly again that did not match the dangerous air around her. She no longer wanted to sleep with Rahal, she wanted to get him wasted and embarrass him. No one turned her down if they knew what was good for them.
"I do not drink. It's not allowed in the Calvary, and as both Captain and Commander, I strive to be an example for men. I see no reason to drop those values even when I'm here at Budehuc," Rahal said, finger tapping his tea mug.
“You won’t take the glory but you’ll take the rules?” Elaine asked incredulously. “You’re boring as hell aren’t you?”
Rahal shrugged. "I suppose you could blame my upbringing. I'm sorry if I've been wasting your time, then, Lady Elaine and shall take my leave so you may find someone better to pass your time with."
“You don’t even care that you’re a waste of time?” Elaine said, not understanding him at all. “You’re messing with me aren’t you?”
"I am sorry I can't be more pleasurable company to you," Rahal apologized. "But, to be honest, I'm not used to these situations."
“Oh really?” Elaine asked, suddenly getting interested again. She lounged sideways and propped her foot up on a nearby chair. “What situation is that? All the army stuff didn’t teach you how to talk to girls?”
"I grew up around men. The entire Calvary is composed solely of men until I recently changed the rules," he explained, very sure Elaine would get the picture.
“Ooh,” Elaine said in completely understanding. Of course she completely understood that he was shy, not anything else. “Well…I could help you,” she said flirty tone completely back.
"Excuse me?" Rahal cocked a brow, his intuition screaming he had just walked into a very dangerous trap and it was about to come crashing shut.
“With your problems with women silly,” Elaine said, beaming from ear to ear. “You’ve been surrounded by nothing but men for so long, it had to have been hard.”
"Well, I do have an older sister and I was friends with Miakis, so I wasn't totally without women," he corrected, trying to back peddle and back peddle fast.
“Friend huh?” Elaine’s smile widened at her own private joke. “Why don’t you tell me about your friend.”
"She played myself and Roog as children, and then went on to become the body guard of the Princess of Falena - Arshtat's daughter," Rahal stated, blinking.
“So she left you for her job, that had to hurt,” Elaine nodded sympathetically to the story she had made up. “Never made another friend”
"I had no need to," Rahal sipped his tea, now gone cold, but was a good distracting from the angle of this conversation. He had no need mostly because he'd discovered women were not his liking, not after his... first attempt.
“Everyone has need to,” Elaine said, suggestively. She reached out her hand again to take his arm in a facsimile of being sympathetic.
Rahal gulped, wanting nothing to so much as to bolt and run to some place like Vinay and hope she never found him. "Yes, well, I've managed," he smiled.
“You don’t really have to just ‘manage’ if you don’t want to,” Elaine slid her fingers up and down Rahal’s arm, subtly becoming a thing of the past after three glasses of alcohol.
"Lady Elaine, I think perhaps your drinks are getting to you," Rahal removed her hand from his arm. "I think it's best I escort you to your room and bid you good night."
Elaine laughed hard at his suggestion. “Well,” she said sounding as though she had to think about Rahal taking her back to her room. “If you insist.”
Rahal nodded, reminding himself that if he needed to he could simply bolt. It would be shameful, but he could. He rose, offering her his arm.
Elaine wasn’t used to an offered arm, but she did know what to do with one. She latched onto him with a death grip worthy of all of her years of being a mercenary but still looked like just a simple hold. “I’m in the inn,” she said now close enough for her breath to trail across Rahal’s face.
Damn it. Rahal headed for the stairs and up towards the rooms, keeping himself more towards the windows rather then the doors themselves and mentally running through escape routes. "Is this it, Lady Elaine?"
Elaine maintained her grip on her target’s arm. She had dealt with skittish men before enough to know not to let go. “That is it…so…” she said, leaning back against the wall by her door, shifting her grip so that Rahal could face her.
"So good night," Rahal said, tugging his arm free with a jerk, smoothing his tunic. "Perhaps I shall see you around the grounds, Lady Elaine."
Elaine just smiled at the tug. She let him go and leaned seductively against the wall. “It’s not good yet,” the words were the only warning before she had lunged against him and locked her lips to him.
Rahal froze, not really sure what to do for half a minute. And then his arms gripped Elaine, shoving her back and glaring. "Good night, Lady Elaine," he said, voice frosty now. Be bowed shortly and turned, heading back downstairs.
Elaine was too shocked and just let him go. She folded her arms as he got away, not pleased by the turn of events. “Tease!” she shouted at his back. She was upset now, she’d assumed since meeting him in the lake she wouldn’t have to sleep alone tonight. She’d get him eventually, but for now she was pissed. “Ass,” she said to herself and opened then slammed the door behind her.
What: Elaine tries to get to know some of the new prettier residents better. Rahal does not approve.
Where: Tavern and Elaine's room.
Warnings: Shameless flirting and suggestions.
Elaine was in her favorite place; the bar. She sat facing the room in her barstool, leaning against the bar half filled drink in hand. She hadn’t been there long, only a drink and a half. She didn’t like needing to buy her own drinks, but she couldn’t exactly charm one out of a random patron when she was already waiting for a handsome young thing to keep her company. She knew he had some cleaning up to do, but that didn’t make the wait any better.
Rahal felt incredibly uncomfortable doing this, but he couldn't very well back out now. Rahal was, above all else, a gentleman and his gentlemanly senses told him he could not abandon a lady for anything other than extreme sickness or a near death wound. He'd put Flail up, bathed, and dressed in his formal blue tunic and pants, his hair tugged back in a half-pony tail. He walked into the tavern, easily spotting Elaine at the bar. "Lady Elaine," he bowed.
Elaine smiled ear to ear at the greeting and bow; a girl could get used to being treated like that. She let out a loud single laugh, throwing forward her chest and bouncing her crossed legs against the stool. “So formal,” she said slowly getting up from the bar with an exaggerated twist of her shoulders. “You don’t need to do all that…trust me I’m not much of a lady.”
"Shall we get a table?" Rahal asked, seemingly unmoved by her well placed movements he figured were meant to accent her... assets. If anything it just made him uncomfortable. "Or we can remain at the bar if that is your pleasure."
“Don’t think you’re getting away without a drink just because we’re not at the bar,” Elaine joked, dropping from the stool and sauntering over to a nearby table. She looked back over her shoulder, “They bring them to you, you know.” She chose the table with more movements to accent not only her chest but other features, by this point not even consciously.
Of course Rahal knew that, but he was determined not to make a fool of himself and stick strictly to things nonalcoholic - and keep a close eye on those things Elaine attempted to make him drink or hand him in any way shape or form. He pulled out her chair for her, smiling as sweetly as he could without thinking about it. "I suppose, then, there's no point in asking if you'd like a drink. I feel I know the answer."
“Oh you’re so sweet!” she said to his offer. Elaine knew she was going to get some drinks out of him anyway, but it was also nice when she didn’t even have to ask. “I would love something,” she said slipping into a girlish voice. “The bartender knows what I like, just say it’s for me. And if you want to join me, just ask him for two.”
Rahal nodded and headed to the bar, and the name of his date hadn't even left his lips before the bar tender had the drink in front of him. "And tea for me," Rahal continued. The bar tender knew Rahal's problems with alcohol after the few times he had forgotten himself and drunk, so didn't question his odd tastes as he carried the drinks back to the table. He set down Elaine's drink before her and settled into his chair, blowing on his tea. "So, Lady Elaine, how did you become part of the 14th?"
Elaine might have been disappointed in Rahal’s choice, if she was paying any attention to it. She leaned back in her chair, taking the cup with her and sipping at it when he started talking. “Seems like I’ve always been a part of it,” she said, her gaze locked on to Rahal. “Worked for other teams, but didn’t fit right with them. Could have been worse though, I could have been assigned to the 12th, ha! Eventually I ended up with the 14th.” She sat her drink down and leaned forward over the table in interest. “What about you? Always loved lizards?”
"I grew up around them. My father was in the Calvary," he explained. "We lived at Sauronix - the headquarters for the Calvary. And it just seemed natural to follow in his footsteps. I trained in Gordius, joined a unit, became a Captain, and after the way I became Commander."
“Commander?” Elaine said actually sounding surprised. “You didn’t tell me you were so important.” Elaine made some new mental calculations as Rahal’s stock rose with this new information. “You’re not keeping other things from me are you?” she asked, hand sneaking it’s way to his side of the table.
Rahal used both hands to lift his mug of tea, thus moving them out of the way of Elaine's. "I don't put much stock in how I got the position, and I don't like to brag," he explained. "Plus, it seems silly to say I'm a Commander when the post is rather moot here."
“Power is only moot if you don’t use it,” Elaine said. Her hand stayed where it was, he would have to bring is hands down at some point. “Having a title like that has to get you a lot of attention from the girls.”
"What's the point of using it? I'm thirty years in the future and Flail is the only dragon horse around. There's nothing for me to use the title for," Rahal blinked, sipping his tea and settling hands and mug in his lap, politely avoiding her hand.
Elaine sighed, assuming Rahal was merely oblivious. She brought her hand back to grab her drink her other arm crossed on the edge of the table just below her breasts. “Modest and a good dresser,” she said, bringing her cup most of the way to her mouth. “Though I have to admit I’m kind of disappointed you decided to change.” She gave him a look over the cup’s edge and took a small sip.
Rahal fought his blush valiantly and managed to win - barely. "Yes, well, the bar tenders tends to disagree with customers coming in without shirts - no shirt, no shoes, no service after all. Though, I suppose that leaves pants optional."
Elaine let out another loud laugh, at what she assumed to be a suggestion. She played with the glass in her hand, and decided that if his hands weren’t available she would move on to somewhere else. “You could always set that new fashion,” she said just as her toe tapped lightly against Rahal’s shoe.
"I'll leave something like that up to Sir Kyle or perhaps one of the bolder, younger men here," Rahal said, feeling the tap and carefully nor reacting.
Elaine’s foot did not stay still, in fact it began to run along the other’s shoe and touched at the hem of his pants. “Oh? Who is Sir Kyle? He sounds exciting.”
"He's a Queen's Knight that got transporter her, recently married to Lady Bernadette," Rahal said, shifting and crossing his legs to put distance between himself and that wandering foot.
Elaine was getting a bit annoyed now by the rebuffs but that didn’t stop her from continuing to try. He may have moved one leg, but the other was still within reach. She continued with the new foot exactly where she had left off on the other, showing no outward signs that she was doing anything at all. “Well that sounds less exciting.”
Rahal smiled, letting her foot do as it wished, giving no sign he acknowledged the way she was touching him, figuring a direct out burst would only anger her and he knew the fury of a woman scorned and did not wish to repeat the experience any time soon. "They're expecting their first child. If Sir Roy is still here I can imagine him doing such a thing."
“Oh children, how nice.” Elaine took another sip of her glass, which quickly turned into draining the remains. “Oh no, that didn’t last long,” she complained, pushing her artificially pink lips into a pout. She shifted her shoulders, putting on a show of being a flirty female trying to see if she could get another free one out of Rahal without needing to ask.
Rahal raised his hand and made a motion, summoning one of the serving wenches. So long as he was here, he would be the gentleman and buy. It wasn't like he didn't have the money either. "I'm excited for them," he smiled. "It will be good for Sir Kyle. And, something I have wondered, do you still work from the 14th, Lady?"
Elaine looked on in triumph as he ordered her another round. She dropped her glass on the serving wenches tray. “Of course I still do,” she told him, bringing all of her attention back to him and his foot. “They’re taking care of something on the east side of Harmonia right now, there was just something I need to do here for a bit.”
An eyebrow rose in silent question, but he didn't pry. If the Lady wished to offer up her reasoning, so be it. If not, then that was her right as well. "Did you work with the others here during the Second Fire Bringer War?" he asked, trying to keep the subject on safe grounds.
If he had asked Elaine wasn’t going to tell him. It was no one’s business but hers why she was here. “Sure did,” she proudly told him. “Hired by that scum, Luc, first. But when we noticed that the 12th couldn’t possibly handle anything by themselves here we saved their asses and came to help.”
Ah, embellishment. It was fun, at times. "Oh? And did you come riding on white horses and all that?" he chuckled.
“Calvary, always thinking about horses,” Elaine teased. She had forgotten for a moment about flirting as her other favorite topic was brought up; slamming the 12th. “No, we didn’t need horses. The 12th were just standing around in a group of monsters looking like death. So jumped in, saved their butts and then dragged them halfway across the continent back here.”
Rahal laughed, both to make Elaine happy and because he found her tale a tad ridiculous - especially knowing Geddoe was part of the 12th and he highly doubted the man would ever need such rescuing. "Well, I'm sure that earned your squad quite a name for itself."
“We already had a name, it didn’t hurt though” Elaine said pridefully. “As much as a love reminiscing about such fun times, you didn’t really come here to talk about war did you?” The moment of no flirting was forgotten as she apparently was trying to make up for the lost time, putting all of her tricks out at once. The foot moved higher against Rahal’s leg, as she pushed forward against the table ample chest prominently on display.
Rahal's crossed leg came down, pushing Elaine's leg away - with enough force to make sure she knew he did not want her to start the actions again."Well, sadly, I must admit since I've spent most of my life serving the Calvary or training for it, I'm not schooled in much other talk," he apologized.
Elaine almost jumped off the table from the shock of the forceful movement below. She sat up straight in her chair, the flirtatious look in her demeanor tempered by shock, flashing with an unspoken challenge. “Well,” she began with a tilt of her head. “We don’t have to talk.”
He sipped his tea, blinking slowly at her. "Ah, yes, I forgot to ask if you wished for something to eat," he smiled, very aware of how she wanted the statement to be taken and purposefully giving it another view.
The challenge was more than just a flash, as she understood what he was doing and decided to turn it around on him. “Do you?” she asked, obviously not talking about food.
"Well, they do have a delicious chicken dish I'm partial to," Rahal smiled. "I highly recommend it."
Elaine deflated and dropped back against her chair staring off the side, obviously displeased. “Not hungry.”
Damn it. He had hoped to avoid this, but he just wasn't interested. "Perhaps another drink then?" he asked her instead, hoping alcohol would cheer her and save him from potential retribution.
“You going to join?” Elaine asked, with a heavy stare.
"I do not drink, Lady Elaine," Rahal informed her for what he thought to be the third time perhaps now. "I will gladly pay for whatever you wish to drink however."
“What are you afraid of?” She asked, voice sounding girly again that did not match the dangerous air around her. She no longer wanted to sleep with Rahal, she wanted to get him wasted and embarrass him. No one turned her down if they knew what was good for them.
"I do not drink. It's not allowed in the Calvary, and as both Captain and Commander, I strive to be an example for men. I see no reason to drop those values even when I'm here at Budehuc," Rahal said, finger tapping his tea mug.
“You won’t take the glory but you’ll take the rules?” Elaine asked incredulously. “You’re boring as hell aren’t you?”
Rahal shrugged. "I suppose you could blame my upbringing. I'm sorry if I've been wasting your time, then, Lady Elaine and shall take my leave so you may find someone better to pass your time with."
“You don’t even care that you’re a waste of time?” Elaine said, not understanding him at all. “You’re messing with me aren’t you?”
"I am sorry I can't be more pleasurable company to you," Rahal apologized. "But, to be honest, I'm not used to these situations."
“Oh really?” Elaine asked, suddenly getting interested again. She lounged sideways and propped her foot up on a nearby chair. “What situation is that? All the army stuff didn’t teach you how to talk to girls?”
"I grew up around men. The entire Calvary is composed solely of men until I recently changed the rules," he explained, very sure Elaine would get the picture.
“Ooh,” Elaine said in completely understanding. Of course she completely understood that he was shy, not anything else. “Well…I could help you,” she said flirty tone completely back.
"Excuse me?" Rahal cocked a brow, his intuition screaming he had just walked into a very dangerous trap and it was about to come crashing shut.
“With your problems with women silly,” Elaine said, beaming from ear to ear. “You’ve been surrounded by nothing but men for so long, it had to have been hard.”
"Well, I do have an older sister and I was friends with Miakis, so I wasn't totally without women," he corrected, trying to back peddle and back peddle fast.
“Friend huh?” Elaine’s smile widened at her own private joke. “Why don’t you tell me about your friend.”
"She played myself and Roog as children, and then went on to become the body guard of the Princess of Falena - Arshtat's daughter," Rahal stated, blinking.
“So she left you for her job, that had to hurt,” Elaine nodded sympathetically to the story she had made up. “Never made another friend”
"I had no need to," Rahal sipped his tea, now gone cold, but was a good distracting from the angle of this conversation. He had no need mostly because he'd discovered women were not his liking, not after his... first attempt.
“Everyone has need to,” Elaine said, suggestively. She reached out her hand again to take his arm in a facsimile of being sympathetic.
Rahal gulped, wanting nothing to so much as to bolt and run to some place like Vinay and hope she never found him. "Yes, well, I've managed," he smiled.
“You don’t really have to just ‘manage’ if you don’t want to,” Elaine slid her fingers up and down Rahal’s arm, subtly becoming a thing of the past after three glasses of alcohol.
"Lady Elaine, I think perhaps your drinks are getting to you," Rahal removed her hand from his arm. "I think it's best I escort you to your room and bid you good night."
Elaine laughed hard at his suggestion. “Well,” she said sounding as though she had to think about Rahal taking her back to her room. “If you insist.”
Rahal nodded, reminding himself that if he needed to he could simply bolt. It would be shameful, but he could. He rose, offering her his arm.
Elaine wasn’t used to an offered arm, but she did know what to do with one. She latched onto him with a death grip worthy of all of her years of being a mercenary but still looked like just a simple hold. “I’m in the inn,” she said now close enough for her breath to trail across Rahal’s face.
Damn it. Rahal headed for the stairs and up towards the rooms, keeping himself more towards the windows rather then the doors themselves and mentally running through escape routes. "Is this it, Lady Elaine?"
Elaine maintained her grip on her target’s arm. She had dealt with skittish men before enough to know not to let go. “That is it…so…” she said, leaning back against the wall by her door, shifting her grip so that Rahal could face her.
"So good night," Rahal said, tugging his arm free with a jerk, smoothing his tunic. "Perhaps I shall see you around the grounds, Lady Elaine."
Elaine just smiled at the tug. She let him go and leaned seductively against the wall. “It’s not good yet,” the words were the only warning before she had lunged against him and locked her lips to him.
Rahal froze, not really sure what to do for half a minute. And then his arms gripped Elaine, shoving her back and glaring. "Good night, Lady Elaine," he said, voice frosty now. Be bowed shortly and turned, heading back downstairs.
Elaine was too shocked and just let him go. She folded her arms as he got away, not pleased by the turn of events. “Tease!” she shouted at his back. She was upset now, she’d assumed since meeting him in the lake she wouldn’t have to sleep alone tonight. She’d get him eventually, but for now she was pissed. “Ass,” she said to herself and opened then slammed the door behind her.