O.D. 10.10.2000 [1:11 p.m.]

(This is Kestrel, my Seelie Fiona Sidhe Wilder pirate, and the one that ends up the love of his life - Lynette D'Aquitaine, Chuck's Seelie Fiona Sidhe Wilder girl-with-a-sword.)

[Lynette d'Aquitaine]

Mon 19:02 EDT ~Autumn~

~The smell of it is in the air, on the salt-tang breeze of the sea. Perhaps it's still a shade too warm, perhaps it's still a bit too light... but the smell of the coming cold is there for those to see who can. Such as farmers... or sailors~

~Of course, another chill comes as well... another type of Winter - yet not one that most would realize. Then again, even as before, there are those who can smell it... know that it comes~

~And the Fae shiver in anticipation of the coming frost~

~But that is not what draws our gaze, here and now. Tonight, we speak of happier things. At least, when seen in perspective~

~And so it is that a cherry red Mazda RX7 pulls up suspiciously near a certain boat, moored just off-shore~

[Kestrel]

Mon 19:08 EDT to Lynette d'Aquitaine, Mariposa: There's some crazy guy on that boat, too, stretched on the deck with one arm behind his head, the other held aloft. His fingers are curled around some imaginary gun, and now and again he pops off imaginary shots at a...a bird it seems, looping lazily overhead.

For those who can see such things, of course, he has Mjollnir in hand, and is using Boreas the (oblivious) kestrel for target practice. Presently he runs out of bullets--anyway, he hears a car pulling up--and sits up. An easy flick of the wrist snaps the rotating chamber out. Reloading the gun is an act so familiar that he doesn't need to look to know he's doing it right.

"Well, well," he says, grinning, "I do believe I see the Lady d'Aquitaine, but it can't be, because she hasn't been in town for ages and ages."

[Lynette d'Aquitaine]

Mon 19:15 EDT to Kestrel, Mariposa: ~Of course, the woman who steps out of the car as the door opens is obviously Lynette. The lady has been gone for some time, true... but it would seem she's returned at last~

~Dark eyes seem almost to smile as she catches sight of Kestral - though there is something else that flickers quickly behind her gaze, but is quickly gone. A shake of her head sends her silken blond tresses dancing~

"So what you are saying is that I'm to stay at home, never straying? Odd ideas indeed, from one who can barely stand to be docked at shore for more than a day or two."

~She smiles, and the sun itself is reflected in her eyes~

[Kestrel]

Mon 19:21 EDT to Lynette d'Aquitaine, Mariposa: You gotta admit, the pantomiming is impressive. He pays attention to all the details of the act. It's obvious he's reaching around back to flip open his pouch of shells. Taking a handful, he settles again. Each is dropped snugly into its chamber, and then another flick of the wrist reels the cylinder back in with a snap you can almost hear, if you try hard enough. He gets to his feet, jumping down onto the soft sand. "Well, I'm different. I'm allowed to stray, see. I don't have your silly obligations."

Mjollnir, still held in his right hand, glints brilliantly blue-white in the afternoon sun. He twirls it, old-western-gunslinger-style, and thrusts it firmly into its holster at his hip as he walks toward her. Show-off. Dusting off the back of his loose trousers--the color's subtle, though the same can't be said for the outrageously red shirt he wears--he comes to a stop beside her car opposite her, and you almost swear the glow of his skin casts a reflection on the hood.

"Not bad. Imagine that. The little girl knows how to pick her cars." Predictably, he kicks the tires--but only because he's seen it done. He couldn't drive to save his life...though at sea, it was a different story. "Where've you been?"

[Lynette d'Aquitaine]

Mon 19:41 EDT ~She snorts - a somewhat unladylike gesture. Then again, as she's still dressed in her traveling clothes, the effect is more swordmaiden than princess~

~So many sides to this coin, hmm?~

"Well, what if my obligations call me away? Doesn't that shoot all sorts of holes in your little theory?"

~As always, Greyswandir hangs at her side. Somehow, he knows it has seen action in her absence from Charleston~

[Kestrel]

Mon 19:49 EDT to Lynette d'Aquitaine, Mariposa: "Nope," he answers smoothly, making himself right at home atop the hood of her car. "It only supports it. You go where your obligations take you. You're bound to them. Whereas I am free as a bird. Speaking of which..."

Looking up, he whistles sharply, calling Boreas back from the skies. He doesn't hold up a wrist for the bird to alight on, and so it makes do with the hood of her car. "I hope he doesn't decide to leave you a present," Kestrel remarks, decidedly mischievious. There's a pause as he looks at his yacht moored on the shore, studying the barnacles clinging to its hull. He should scrape them soon...

Suddenly, he asks, "Are you going away?" He doesn't notice the butterfly, but his bird does. The sharp golden eyes are fast upon the insect now, the sleekly feathered head turning to keep it in sight.

[Lynette d'Aquitaine]

Mon 19:57 EDT to Mariposa, Kestrel: "I only hope he doesn't scratch the paint. I might have to make you pay for the touch-up work."

~And she waves a hand idly in the air, a vague gesture~ "I already went away. Now I'm back. Simple. Though I can't promise I won't have to go again someday..."

"...but I think I'll be here for a while. 'Til the end of term, at least." ~And she smiles, and winks at him~ "Why Kestral... one might almost think you'd missed me."

[Kestrel]

Mon 20:03 EDT to Lynette d'Aquitaine, Mariposa: "Damn!" He snaps his fingers. "Was gonna say, good riddance!" He raises his eyebrow at her comment then, snickering. "One would be very stupid indeed to think that, Lynette. No offense, of course, since you obviously think so but believe what you like, if it makes you feel better. What can I say, eh, Boreas? Blondes..."

Tapping his shoulder, he clucks his tongue at the bird, which flaps awkwardly across the short distance to settle again. It seems mildly offended at having to make the difficult trip, and sits ruffling its feathers.

"Where'd you go, anyhow?"

[Lynette d'Aquitaine]

Mon 20:11 EDT to Mariposa, Kestrel: ~she smiles again... though who can say if there's less genuine mirth there now?~ "Actually, that's a relief... I was afraid you might be getting the wrong idea... possibly reading more into things than was actually there. I mean, I think you're interesting, Kestral, but it's obvious there could never be anything between us..." ~She smiles softly, as if in shared relief~

~She chuckles, and holds her arms out to her sides~ "I mean, for one thing, Galen would probably be royally pissed if you turned into a love-besotted fool. Of course, I wouldn't mention it to him unless you got too annoying. But obviously, that won't be a problem."

~smile~

[Kestrel]

Mon 20:18 EDT to Lynette d'Aquitaine, Mariposa: If Kestrel had feathers, they would be ruffled now. Majorly ruffled. Does the grin fade? Surely not. But nonetheless, he's grumping. "Galen, eh?" Snort. Smirk. "Poor guy, to be saddled with you."

He folds his arms, glaring at the barnacles. "I should scrape the barnacles," he muses aloud. "Stupid things, stuck all over her. Hmmph."

He jumps back to the previous subject. "And anyway, I bet I can whup your boyfriend's ass."

[Lynette d'Aquitaine]

Mon 20:28 EDT to Mariposa, Kestrel: ~Do those dark eyes glitter? Has that smile suddenly become all the more real? Who can say?

"Ohh, well, he isn't saddled with me yet. Though he never stops trying. Hmm... is it already two years now? Ever since he was still just a knight."

~she looks down at the car, fingers running along the red... as if what she's about to say isn't all that important. Which, of course, means it's doubly important~ "Of course, he's a Count now. Count Galen ap Ailil of Firiel. Not that I'd let that influence me. We're just friends."

~And she looks up, and smiles~ "Though I'm not sure he'd think of it that way if he found out about you." ~smirk~

~Does she agree with Kestral's assertion of victory in combat? Or does she laugh at the absurdity of the notion? Neither - she remains silent, except for that damnable smile~

[Kestrel]

Mon 20:40 EDT to Lynette d'Aquitaine, Mariposa: "I don't see why he keeps trying," he retorts. He's not too good at hiding things, unfortunately, and if he isn't jealous then no one is. "I mean, sheesh, he's a Count and you're just a...a...little girl with a sword." He waves her off dismissively and hops off the hood, wading into the water to wield his all-purpose machete knife to hack away on the barnacles.

"Not that I'm saying it's such a big deal to be a Count, anyway," he adds, suddenly realizing he had a loophole to close. "Well, it probably is for you, seeing as how you like dragging your obligations around--" wait a minute, he was arguing in favor of the other again, "--but I still think you should just shuck it all off someday before you end up a Countess and get lost in all the power structure and stuff, and forget about the--goddamn barnacle--sea."

He pries an especially difficult barnacle off and turns to face her, up to his knees in the surf. "Anyway, I don't even know if you like having responsibilities. You did write the lyrics for that one song you sang, didn't you?"

[Lynette d'Aquitaine]

Mon 20:48 EDT to Mariposa, Kestrel: ~She doesn't take offense - indeed, she almost seems warmed by his rant~ "Maybe because he's seen me in action? You've never really seen me on a quest, Kestral. He has. Maybe he understands more of who I really am..."

~She trails after, simply to keep from having to shout (unladylike, of course)~ "And my obligations are my choice... after all, there are a number of people I consider true friends, and more, whom I never would have met if I simply lived for the moment."

~she smiles, almost wistfully~ "And yes... I wrote the lyrics. I write most of what the band plays."