Borrowed time (Keagan)

[Mia Fallabella]

It was a strange day indeed. Mia’s father was bedridden with a cold…her mother nervously at his side with a cool cloth against his sweaty skull. Instead of being a good daughter like anyone would expect and offering to watch her little sis, Mia took this chance to escape the clutches of her family a while. Bare feet carried her slowly and silently through the woods, the loose silver gown she had slept in billowing in the strong breeze. The morning air was cold and nipped at Mia’s bare shoulders….but that was irrelevant….If only for a little while…She was free. She didn’t have to dance for anyone here….wear any clothing that jingled and chimed with each movement…no she could be herself here….if only for a little while. It didn’t take long for the young maiden to find a slow moving river. Carefully she maneuvered herself down the steep bank, using bits of shrub and small trees to keep herself from falling. In one hand she bunched her long gown, lifting it so that she would not trip on the flowing sheet.

The water was cold, not yet warmed from the morning sun. A gasp slid from between pale pink lips when her toes sank into the wet bank, sending a chill through her body. Very few people knew the young Mia well. Her family has a tendency to only associate with others like them….gypsies or druids that is. It was tradition not to let anyone on the outside know you very well….and up to this point it had left Mia very secluded. She felt obligated to help her family earn money through her dance, they had raised her after all….But deep inside she could also feel a longing….A longing to dance without an audience…a longing to dance without worrying about pleasing the crowd…To put it simply she wanted out…but there seemed to be no exit.

Long fingers moved to pull the nights ribbons from her hair, each tiny crimson bow releasing a curling lock of chocolate hued hair that fell to her bum. She crouched down, leaning over the water to see her reflection as she undid the many bows that held her untamed mass hostage, using her reflection to make sure she didn’t miss any. She could still see the slight stains on her face from the night before, butterfly wings on the edge of each eye. But it was useless to try and get rid of them…tonight after all there would be a repeat performance…and more paint.

The shrill chirping of a bird startled Mia, quickly her icy eyes scanned the surrounding woods….She may have been innocent but she was no fool, her father was quick to tell her the evils of men….and especially how many of them felt that they could take advantage of any druid woman they happened across…For who would they run to?

Quickly she finished with her hair and knotted the many ribbons around one of her ankles, standing she could feel the cold morning air biting her lungs as fear caused her breathing to quicken.

‘Calm down…..its just a weasel or something…’

That made sense….weasels ate birds eggs….But the snapping of a twig quickly demolished her little fantasy….it was no weasel. She dared not call out, fearful that it was not her family but one of those hulking men her father always preached about…. ‘Just waiting for a pretty girl like you to wander too far…’

Nervously she chewed on her lip, debating her options….she could try to run…But running in a long gown would be anything but easy….And it was hard to hide when she was wearing such a shiny fabric. She would just have to wait it out. Gingerly pushing a curly strand behind her ear she let her fingertips roll over the many loops that trailed her ear, fidgeting with the pearl like stone at the bottom of her ear. Twisting it round and round as she tried to steady her breathing.

[Keagan]

Keagan truly hated being alone. The lack of company he was constantly finding himself in was going to drive him mad! Even though it had been quite some time since he had left the comfort of his village, he was still so used to being around others. He had a large family, so was used to the sibling rivalry, the noise, the constant movement.....and even when he ventured out of his home, there were people! People everywhere! People who he did not have to be afraid of for they were no strangers to him. They were the community that he had grown up in, and he missed them all dearly. While Keagan was not one to complain, he could not help but feel the aching misery of leaving all that he knew....to wander without purpose. The only thing that was getting him by was the occasional stop in the town to tell a few stories and make a few coins. But he was not a drifter. He wanted to settle, or well at least be around others who he could talk with.

But no. All he had was his trusty slingshot, and a squirrel that he would swear on his life was following him! He continued to walk through the woods, having no idea where he was going, or even where he was right now. As he had no destination, direction was not important. He often just walked and walked until he came across some sort of civilization. As if fate had timed it perfectly well, he heard a bit of movement up ahead. He perked his ahead up, excited and yet nervous at the same time. He knew that there were dangerous people that lurked around the woods, so had to be a bit discreet before fully revealing himself. With that in mind, he adjusted his hood a bit, pulling it up more before taking a few slow and cautious steps towards the source of the sound.

That was when he saw it. No...her! He was peeking out from behind a tree when he noticed a slender figure slowly step into the river. His eyes slightly widened as he just watched her. Now, he knew it was wrong to spy on a woman this way....but there was something positively captivating about her. Something that made him feel almost mezmirized as he just locked his gaze on her, as if stuck in some sort of trance. Her style, her general appearance, her apparent grace...such things made her stand out from most women he had come across. So all he could do was stare. Somewhere in the back of his mind, a voice was screaming out to him to STOP STARING! What if she began to undress?! Keagan did not want to turn into one of those perverted men who just spied on woman as they removed their clothing. And yet, he could not look away.

He put his hand on the trunk of the tree as if to support his body. He continued to watch as her hair fell freely. In all her beauty, he was completely lost. He may not consider himself perverted, but he was a young man, and what sort of sane man would look away from something so exquisite?! He began to lean a bit forward, not sure why... in fact, he may not even have been doing it intentionally! It was as if some unseen force was pulling him towards her; this trance that he was in was claiming power over him. So he leaned a bit more forward, and forward and --- the next thing he knew, his face was smothered against the leaves on the ground. Keagan was already a tad bit clumsy so for him to have been so lost in thought was a dangerous thing indeed.

He looked up, startled at his current position, as he realized that his entire body was flat out on the ground. Worse yet, he was caught! He could no longer sneak a glance --- or two, or three or four, or who was he kidding, he was not glancing! He had been staring! And now, she knew it. Subtly was not a trait of Keagan's, and neither was successfully lying. Never the less, he awkwardly pulled himself to his feet and looked at her, feeling a bit panicked that he had just been caught spying. His hood had fallen to his back in his clumsy stumble, so he tried to fix his disheveled hair... as if that would make him feel less awkward, which it didn't really. "I wasn't looking!" He said in a loud, desperate voice....enough to made his words entirely unbelievable.

[Mia Fallabella]

It seemed that forever passed in those few moments, Mia’s tried to steady her breathing but she was still able to hear herself gasping for air. And then crash! Her head jerked in the direction of sound, curls falling around her bare shoulders. Icy eyes searching out….a young man? He seemed positively stunned and scrambled to his feet with the agility of a cat. Mia slowly stood, feeling that there was no use in hiding now for from the look on his face he had already noticed her.

‘I wasn’t looking!’

His voice was so loud and unexpected that her shoulders jerked with surprise. Surely this wasn’t the type of man her father was worried about….wait….wasn’t looking?…So he had been watching her? What did he think she was about to do? Bathe?

“Oh..my..gosh..”

Each word fell like a stone from her pretty mouth, a deep crimson flooding to her cheeks…How long had he been hiding there? Sure she had not revealed anything but the thought that someone was watching her when she thought she was alone, during her private moments was more than a little unnerving. She took a step back, her bare foot sinking into the wet bank nearly to her ankle.

“You-you…”

She stammered, shaking her head as the words jumbled in her mind. She was never the flirtatious type….or even the witty one that could throw comments like daggers. No…she was the meek one. And being in a predicament like this one was completely out of her comfort zone, she had no idea what to say. She wasn’t sure if it was from anger or embarrassment but she began to tremble, so she wrapped her slender arms around her stomach to try and hide her nerves. Finally after several silent moments without any occurrence she pushed earthy waves back from her face. Settling her icy eyes on the intruders face…which was actually not bad looking, before she lost her nerve and shifted her eyes to his feet.

“Well then what were you doing?”

She said as loudly as she dared, her brow wrinkling.

“Bird watching? If your that desperate for entertainment sir our performance is a dusk…”

Her words were cold, though not as full of malice as she would have liked. She never was good at being angry…she gave in to her conscience too easily. Nibbling her bottom lip she looked much like the child who had just been scolded. It was hard not to turn and run back to her family as was her first reaction. But she felt that she deserved an answer…after all what if she had decided to bathe? If he really wasn’t looking he should have no problem coming up with a good excuse.

[Keagan]

In the moments of silence that passed, a million thoughts were racing through Keagan's mind. Mainly...things that he could, or should, say to get him out of this horribly embarrassing situation. He could turn and run! But that would not solve anything. He did not even know where he would run to! Besides, here was someone that he could talk to.....no. He had blown that chance when he decided not to talk, but rather, just stare at her. He should have not hid and just walked up to her in greeting. That would have been far less uncomfortable than this awkward silence they were both engaged in right now. Damn it Keagan! He mentally cursed at himself. This was so very typical of him! He knew what the right thing had been to do, and he had not done it. He had taken a...creepier path, of just looking at her. And then in the end, his clumsiness, the one constant in his life, did not prove to fail him. If he hadn't tripped, he could have....... no, he would have just been staring at her.

Much like he was doing right now, again! There was just something about her. Never the less, when she spoke, asking him what he had been doing, the silence had been broken and Keagan knew that he owed her an answer. Furthermore, he owed the truth. He would just have to spit it out. But...he had just said he wasn't looking! He had to think of an excuse, and fast! "I...." Oh yes. Fantastic start Keagan! It was strange. When he was telling a story, he could keep the audience engaged as it was all about how the story was phrased and the plot and characters of said story. But right now, the correct words failed him. He could not think clearly, let alone speak fluently. He was stalling, and was feeling awkward and....drat! He was staring again!

He finally averted his gaze elsewhere, looking around, still trying to mentally formulate a good excuse for why he had been peeking out from behind the tree. "I was just...." Great. He was still unable to think of a valid reason. He paused though when she brought up the mention of some sort of performance. "What performance?" He asked, now more so out of curiosity rather than anything else. It was not until he asked the question that he mentally kicked himself! He could have easily said, 'alright see you then' and walked away, saving both of them from this awkwardness. But nooo. Instead, he decided to question what she was talking about. He couldn't lie. He had to tell the truth! So instead of waiting for the answer, he began to blurt out his true purpose for having been there. "I'm sorry!" He desperately, and suddenly exclaimed.

There was no hiding it now. He owed her the truth, and he had to give it to her. "I lied. I was looking! I was staring! I just....I couldn't help it. Well, I guess I technically could have since no one was making me watch. Not that anyone should ever so such a thing. But I had been staring, and I'm sorry, and I hope that you can forgive me for usually I am not so quiet. Or sneaky. Not that I was sneaking around...but I suppose it could count as that when I don't make my presence known. And...And..." She needed to say something before he just kept going and going and going. He felt his face redden and knew how very un-masculine that was. Men did not blush! Come on Keagan! Be a man!!

[Mia Fallabella]

It seemed that Mia was not the only one at a loss for words. Her brows wrinkled as she waited for his answer, several times he started to answer her before going silent. It wasn’t like her to be so forthcoming….so pushy. And the more she watched him squirm the more uncomfortable she felt.

‘What performance?’

Her comment had been a completely sarcastic one so for him to ask a question was like a kick in the shin….She was being such an ass….after all the poor guy had not seen anything…maybe he was just the cautious type like she was. At least she should give him the benefit of the doubt. Pink lips parted but before she could speak he was spewing words. Nervous words that made little to no sense to the young nomad. He was awfully nervous to be innocent….

“..just..forget about it.”

She sighed. Spotting one of her red ribbons on the ground she knelt to pick it up. Running her fingers over its mud crusted surface she moved to shake it in the water like a snake until the material was moderately clean. Then she lifted her gown just enough to tie the wet ribbon around her ankle with the others and rose back to her full height. Curious blue eyes studied the stranger for a few moments longer, she wasn’t really getting a dangerous vibe from this fellow…But she had been wrong before. She glanced back up the hill she had climbed down, wondering what her family was doing….Probably preparing for the next show like always. The thought of conversing with someone outside the caravan was exciting, but this man seemed to be a nomad like herself….From his simple garb, but she could be wrong, she had been before.

She chewed on the nail of her thumb for a moment as she stared at him, all the innocence of a child bright in her blue eyes. Finally he came to the decision that his company would be better than none….even if he did seem to be a peeping tom.

“You have a name?….”

She ask slowly, rolling the words over her tongue. Her accent was a bit rough but her voice was soft and sweet. Even so it was the first time she had addressed this stranger in such a tone. Blue eyes traveled around her until she found a fallen tree. With the agility of a nymph she pulled herself up onto the rough bark, curling her long legs beneath her.

“I hear Tom is common….”

A hesitant smile pulled at her lips, wondering what his response would be. He seemed to be harmless enough…nervous, but harmless. And she hoped her intuition would not fail her. She waited a few minutes, letting the question settle between them before she lightly patted the tree.

“….you don’t look like one of the villagers…”

It was a statement, but she hoped he would fill in the blanks. Looking down at her feet she realized that he must think her some sort of wild thing, barefoot and muddy as she nearly always was. Nibbling on her lip she pulled her feet to her, attempting to discretly brush the drying mud away…..She would never be one of those refined maidens…the ones who always seemed clean and refined no matter their circumstance. Feeling her cheeks redden as she pondered her own appearance in comparison to some of the pretty women she had seen in her travels Mia used her fingers to push a lock of curls behind her ear. Not noticing that she speared a bit of mud in her hair when she did so.

“I’m Mia….”

She said softly, keeping her gaze on her own lap. Shyness consuming her.

[Keagan]

Keagan really was not trying to look, but the more he tried not to, the more obvious it became that he was trying not to! His gaze followed her as she seated herself on a fallen tree. He stood there, still awkward, slightly shifting his position. Should he sit next to her? No. Maybe he should just stand there. Yes! Thats what he should do. He took a few steps over to a nearby tree, and tried to casually lean against it as he folded his arms across his chest. Even while leaning though, he felt himself slowly lose his balance, just as he did before but not to the same magnitude. Instead, he just stumbled a bit though managed to catch his balance before he completely fell over. So standing there, attempting to be suave was not an option. Maybe he should sit down on the ground so that it did not look rude that she was sitting and he was standing. That was probably better! He looked around for a moment, trying to find a good place when he decided to sit where he stood. He lowered himself to the ground, sitting crossed legged in the dirt. He was used to it though, as he was a nomad and the comfort of a bed and such was something that he was often deprived of... not that he was complaining.

Now that he knew where to sit, he would focus on her words...and try to be less rude. "Please tell me," he asked, knowing that perhaps sounded a bit too pitiful, but he was so very curious! So much for not being rude. "Unless of course you aren't comfortable doing so, which I completely understand!" Thank goodness she asked something else, otherwise he would have gone on in one of his other rambles. The answer to her next question was one he was only too eager to answer. "My names Keagan!" He said enthusiastically. "But if you want to call me Tom you can!" He then suddenly realized what she had meant by that, and felt embarrassed all over again. Wait. What if she took his comment as a suggestive one?! Oh dear! This wasn't good at all. It seemed the more he tried to fix something, the more damage he did. He would not blame this woman if she just got up and left! He brightly smiled though, trying to show that he had not meant to be inappropriate or anything. "Tom Keagan. Has an interesting ring to it!" He said, attempting to make a joke but knowing he probably just sounded ridiculous.

Though, he did notice her pat the tree and wondered if that was an invitation for him to sit next to her? Was it? Was he misinterpreting her gesture? What if he was wrong and then he just seemed more creepy by randomly sitting next to her?! Was it a risk he was willing to take? Apparently, his feet answered the question for him as he rose from his seated position and slowly walked towards the fallen tree, seating himself next to her. Now that he was sitting at her side, and they knew one anothers names...well, that gave him hope that she was slowly forgiving him for his behavior. Had Keagan been more smooth in the way he spoke to attractive woman, he would have said something along the lines of 'Mia, what a beautiful name.' But instead, he just shyly smiled. "You don't look like one of the villagers either," he said, still smiling. "I mean that in a good way of course! You look different. Different good!" Oh great. Just great. He was continuing digging a hole for himself. He took a deep breath before he fainted from humiliation. "Its so very nice to meet you Mia," he said trying to force a smile though he felt small tears of nervous sweat forming on his forehead.

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[Mia Fallabella]

Her lips curled into a smile as Keagan, wait Tom…..Keagan Tom continued his nervous ramblings. Eventually a girlish giggle bubbled from her chest which she quickly capped by placing a hand over her mouth. Maybe it was cruel of her to make that little remark…..he did seem rather overwhelmed at the moment. She had not responded to his earlier bidding about her ‘performance’ but she eventually relented. Looking down at her lap she twisted her fingers nervously, men always had this effect on her. Instead of sounding intelligent she ended up looking like an idiot. A silent idiot. With a single nail she scratched at a freckle on her arm, not looking up at Keagan when she spoke.

“…to answer your question….I dance, I am here with a caravan.”

Movement made Mia look up, noticing Keagan who was actually quite tall moving to sit on the tree beside her. Mia pulled her knees up to her chest, letting her arms wrap around them and settling her chin atop. And then Keagan once again blasted into a nervous explanation….at first she was offended. Worry lines popping up on her forehead as she looked away from him and out across the small lake. But then as she continued to ramble she could tell that he was trying in some weird way to compliment her….or if nothing else he hadn’t meant to insult her. She shifted her blue eyes so that she could see him from the corner of her eye. A tiny smile tugging at her lips….he was cute…in a way. He wasn’t like most men she ran into…not that she really had a chance to get to know very many. Her father kept tabs on her most of the time. She tilted her head so that she could better see Keagan, her mane of hair cascading down her knees.

“I think your more nervous than I am Keagan….and that’s unusual.”

Her tone was light but her face was stoic with thought. Realizing that she was being rude she quickly backpedaled.

“What about you?…I mean……you know what I do…but what about you?”

Smooth….real smooth. She looked away from him, feeling her cheeks warm. Using a hand to brush a few stray curls from her face she felt the drying bits of mud. Inwardly she groaned, feeling embarrassed she quickly began running her fingers through the dirty strands. Feeling her eyes water as frustrated tears sprang forth. Blinking rapidly to hide her tears she finally pulled the last bit of dirt from her hair…or at least all she could feel. She pinched her lips beneath her teeth as she tried to figure out something a refined lady would say. Something that would make her sound interesting, but nothing came to mind and with a sigh she dusted bits of dirt from her silvery gown.

“You must think me some wild creature…”

The words came before she could stop herself. It would explain why he was staring at her though…covered in mud with old paint stains on her skin she was definitely not looking her best.

[Keagan]

Keagan couldn't help but broadly smile when she laughed. He had made her laugh! Now whether it was for something which he meant to be funny or unintentionally funny, did not matter! He had made her laugh and he felt a strange sense of pride. Perhaps it would be possible to move past all the embarrassment for so far, she did not seem to be shunning his company. "A dancer? Wow!" He exclaimed with awe. She was ravishing enough without such entrancing movement...no wonder she seemed to possess such a natural grace. "That sounds incredible," he added, now leaning towards the possibility of actually watching her performance later. He would have check and see how many coins he had. "Well, I mean it sounds like an incredible talent...I'm sure you're great at it!" Great? Keagan could either just move on dismissively from his odd sounding comment, or attempt at a compliment rather, or ramble on and on trying to correct himself which never seemed to work anyway.

He decided to go with the first option. He felt his face redden a bit more when she acknowledged his nervousness. "Really? You get nervous?" He asked, finding that difficult to believe for she seemed so poised and comfortable. Then again, maybe he was just oblivious. "I find that hard to believe," he added shyly. His shyness only increased when she asked what he did. He had no extravagant answer to provide her with. Compared to a dancer, his 'occupation' seemed so.....minuscule. "I don't really have a job per say," he admitted, deciding that he wanted to tell her something about him, as she had done the same. "But I love telling stories!" He quickly added, rather excited to tell someone of the only thing he could do to earn coins. He was not one to boast, as modesty was certainly a valued virtue. "So I suppose I'm informally a storyteller," he said a bit jokingly, though it was in fact true.

Among his inability to look away from her, he could have sworn he saw her eyes moisten a bit. Was she crying?! He would feel far too intrusive if he asked. So decided to let it go....though he hated to see any woman cry. He recalled that back home, whenever his sisters were emotional, it would break his heart to see the tears in their eyes. While this woman was no sister, she was still a woman...and he still did not wish to see her upset. Was it his company? Was she angry or upset with him and just doing a remarkably good job of concealing such emotions? Oh how he would never forgive himself if he was the cause of another woman's tears! "No!" He immediately, and probably too enthusiastically objected when she stated that he must think her some sort of wild creature. "I don't think you look wild at all!" Wait...not that he was implying she was a creature either. "Nor do I think you're a creature," he added.

There. Hmm. Somehow, that seemed insufficient. "I actually..."' He felt his cheeks burn with redness over his bashful tendencies. "Think you're the opposite." Hang on. What is the opposite of a wild creature? A tame...non-creature? That didn't sound quite right. "I mean to say that...I think...you're....very beautiful," He quickly finished, shocked at himself for being so honest and open. He quickly stood up, not going anywhere but rather just standing because...well, because he felt very shy after saying such a statement like that. No matter how true it was, maybe he was crossing too many lines; overstepping too many boundaries. And he would not blame her if she wished to have nothing more to do with him, and demand that he leave her presence. She would not be the first to say such a thing, and she probably wouldn't be the last either.

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[Mia Fallabella]

It was fun to watch him fumble for words, eventually saying that he was sure she was great at dancing. It was an odd thing to say…because he had never seen her dance, or at least she assumed he had not. She didn’t remember his finely boned face from any firelight…She pressed her lips together watching him with wary eyes, many times Mia had been referenced as a deer. Fleeting and unobtainable…..Keagan brought that picture to her mind. He seemed nervous and flighty like a prey creature….Unlike many men who acted like predators, looking for another trophy to hang on their wall. It was oddly comforting to talk with him….like he was a kindred spirit perhaps?

His face deepened in color that was strangely attractive, like a young boy who had just been chastened. His question made her look at him in surprise…..did she get nervous? Of course she got nervous! Though she could understand his confusion…most gypsy dancers seemed rather comfortable in their own skin, sure of themselves, knowing that they were simply stunning. But Mia was not one of them. She was constantly questioning if her legs were to long, her face too thin, her lips too full, her personality too plain.

“Ah…but you just met me Keagan…”

She said softly, running her fingers across the rough surface of the bark beneath her. Wait…did he just say he was a story teller? He almost seemed to belittle the fact that he could weave stories out of the air, that he could entertain the masses with something as simple with words. No special effects or barely clad women needed.

“You’re a story teller?….”

She swiveled on the log until she was facing him, her long legs curling beneath her Indian style as she leaned forward on her elbows. It was often that story tellers would join their little caravan though they always seemed anxious to move on. Being a performer herself it was rare that she was ever able to really listen to their stories. But she found them to be something valuable. It was no secret that gypsies revered magic, and to Mia this was a magic all by itself.

“Your so lucky! I wish I could entertain people with stories….something that would be remembered and passed down to their children…No one is telling their child about the dancer they saw the other night at a bonfire. “

She smiled slightly though her words held a hint of sadness. Her gift was a fleeting one, when she grew old she would no longer be able to support herself. And she wondered if she would still be held by the guilt that pulled her to her family now. Feeling obligated to stay with them and help them earn coins despite the repercussions it might have on her own life.

His response to her simple statement came so quickly that she jerked. So she was a creature….no she was a tame thing? Ummm…Blue eyes shifted from his face down to the tree bark, studying it as if it were the most interesting thing she had ever seen. She had not meant to put him in such a spot. She sounded like she was begging for praise.

“..I”

Beautiful….’

Her mouth fell open a bit, watching as Keagan quickly jumped to his feet. It was the first time she had heard such a compliment from a young man….someone moderately close to her own age. She wasn’t sure how to respond. Red burned on her cheeks and she let her long hair fall around her like a veil.

“…..would you like to come to the show tonight?”

She ask softly, careful to keep her blue eyes trained on the fallen tree.

“It starts at dusk….you don’t have to pay or anything, I dance for tips..”

[Keagan]

Thad much was true. He had in fact just met her...so perhaps it was too premature of him to pay her such a compliment. But he would not take it back, for he still believed it to be true. He still believed that she would be a great dancer, and was still trying to figure out a way that he could see her perform. "True," he admitted timidly. "But...I still believe it to be true." Now the reasons for that were far more difficult to vocalize. He was already rambling too much; the last thing he needed to do was say something that could be completely misinterpreted. Yet, she seemed to understand what he was saying all too perfectly. And it was a relief. Most people just grew annoyed with his ramblings but she seemed far more patient than most...which he was even more so appreciative as she had caught him spying.

He grinned and nodded when she asked him if he was a story teller."I am!" He confirmed. She seemed so intrigued and that made him happier! She was expressing interest! Furthermore, she went on to say how stories would leave a legacy for future generations. He had no quite thought of it like that! Well, maybe he had but to hear someone else appreciate stories as much as he did...well, it just made him feel so excited. "I'm sure they would!" He claimed, not wanting her to think that dancing was less memorable than story telling. "Dancing is such a wonderful form of expression. To share that with others...its inspirational!" Keagan enjoyed stories but dancing was something that was..magical in a way. "Its moments where you see another move with such elegance and grace, that creates inspiration for just about anything, stories included." He wished he was graceful enough to dance. If he tried, he was rather certain he would look like an oaf.

After he had been so bold to compliment her... well, it wasn't something overly bold, just being more bold than he was used to... he thought he would have to turn and leave. But no. Her words had surprised him and his eyes widened as a reaction to this surprise. She was inviting him to watch her dance?! He had been trying to figure out a way to attend, not wanting to lurk in the shadows to see her and spy like he did last time. But this was nothing like last time! She was actually inviting him to watch. She was saying he could! It made him far more excited than it probably should...no! Who wouldn't be excited about such a thing?! An insane man, thats who! "I would love to!" He exclaimed, extremely enthusiastically. Even though she was not looking at him, he was looking at her, grinning from ear to ear. "But you must let me repay you for such an honor!" he stated, wishing he had something to offer her.

He reached into his pocket, pulling out a couple of coins. He made a face of slight disgust and disappoint as he realized that it was not much money at all as he looked at the two coins rested in the palm of his hand. Closing his hand into a fist, he looked back at her and tucked the coins in his pocket once again. "I don't have many coins," he admitted, even though he was fairly certain she already saw how broke he was. "But if you give me some time, then I will make some money to repay you," he quickly added. "Are you dancing in a nearby city?" He asked, curious to know where this performance was going to take place.

[Mia Fallabella]

He seemed so optimistic about everything, excited about life. It was contagious. When he explained why he loved dance all she could do was not, not sure what to say. A grin seemingly plastered on her face. But when it came to her invitation she had not expected such an enthusiastic reply. Her shoulders jerked with surprise and she shifted to peek up at him with icy blue eyes. An honor ? No one had treated her dancing with a word so highly esteemed. Like a beggar on a street corner she was at the will and whim of the audience, would she have food that night? Would her family? So for someone to treat her dance as an actual gift made her feel incredibly happy…No…that wasn’t the word for it. Special….

The jangling of coins caught her attention, she watched as he counted his funds. Frowning all the while. She had invited him to come as a guest…her guest. For him to think he had to pay for something she had invited him to…It left a bad taste in her mouth. When he offered to earn some coins just so that he could pay her she quickly shook her head. Biting her lip as she tried to find the right words. She didn’t want it to sound like that kind of an invitation, like she was offering him something more than to watch her dance. But she also didn’t want him to feel like a common patron.

“ Oh…no, I didn’t expect you to pay me!

She paused for a moment, thinking about how her father would possibly react to her inviting someone to a show for free….But maybe Keagan could help them? He said he was a story teller….maybe he would join in on their act and help them earn a few extra coins? It could help him as well, they usually brought in quite a large audience. In a feline like movement Mia was one her feet, grasping for Keagan’s hands in her excitement.

“What if you performed with us? Then you could see me dance….and I could hear you tell stories, and we could both earn some coins!”

It seemed like such a wonderful idea. But that was only if Keagan agreed. As if just realizing that she had grasp his hands she quickly took a step back away from him, looking down at her feet with embarrassment.

“Oh, I’m so sorry…I shouldn’t have…”

She was silent for a few moments, feeling her cheeks burn. But eventually his deep voice broke the silence. And she was thankful for the break in tension.

“Yes, well it just a tiny village really…just to the east of the city of Camelot.”

They had to be careful about where they performed as not everyone was accepting of their way of life, often cast guards were among those people. And more than once she had seen nomads beaten for no obvious reason other than just being druid. Mia pursed her lips together as the dark thoughts fluttered through her mind. But with a physical shake of her skull she dispersed the thoughts.

“So…..what do you say Keagan?”

[Keagan]

Keagan was not sure how it was humanly possible to get even MORE excited about anything! But...it had happened! He was!! Firstly, over the fact that she had invited him as a guest! As a friend! Yes. Keagan was already calling her his friend, for he felt as if he had so few. Most of them wanted to shoo him away, which...he had grown used to! But not her. Even after she had the most legitimate reason to do so! But noooo! Instead, she was actually inviting him to stay! Oh what a wonderful, euphoric excitement he had! And as if this had not been enough to get him all thrilled and worked up with anticipation, she was offering for to perform with her! OH WOW! WOW! That was just...so incredibly amazing! He didn't even know how to express such excitement! Without doing his own little happy dance...but he doubted someone as experienced and talented as he was sure she was, would want to see someone who looked like they were physically challenged in the obscure movement that he called 'dancing'. But he would not have to! Instead, he could just do the only thing he knew how: tell stories!

Keagan's face was beaming, and a bright smile on his face! He was about to answer in the most excited way he could...when something else happened. She had held his hand, and with this brief action, Keagan too felt his cheeks burn. He was blushing! Oh my! That wasn't very manly of him at all! But nor was he overly masculine. He did not have that suave confidence that other men so easily possessed. Not at all! He was shy, and so when women did something as small as touch his hand, which really wasn't small at all in his mind, he couldn't help but look down in bashful glee, a shy, timid smile on his lips. He looked back up at her when she apologized, not wanting her to feel the need to! "You have nothing to apologize for," he told her, still in that same shy yet rather happy voice. "I...didn't mind..." Oh how pathetic did that sound?!? He really wished he knew how to deal with pretty women better! How did people even concentrate when talking to such beautiful women?! Did not their beauty distract a man's words?!?

To ease any discomfort she may feel, Keagan went on to answer her offer. "I say....that your offer, is the kindest, most exciting offer that has ever been made to me...EVER!" He exclaimed, emphasizing the same word, twice. Oh well! The excitement was bursting out of him! "Thank you so much! Really! You have made my day! My week, my month!! Just by your very kind suggestion! That I would love to do! More than I can ever say!" Yes, clearly, for he knew he was rambling. "Are you sure its alright? I don't want to impose..." Keagan suggested this potential inconvenience, very hesitantly. He didn't want to try and talk her out of it, but he had to at least be polite, and at least attempt to ensure that this was alright with her ,and whomever else she performed with. It just...seemed too good to be true! He almost even pinched himself to make sure this wasn't some obscure dream!

While he somewhat nervously awaited her answer, he returned to that initial overwhelming excitement that he wasn't really doing a good job of control. "Oh Camelot! I have heard many things about that kingdom, or city! Same thing!" He said, chuckling at his own...ridiculousness. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" This was how desperate he had been for friends! And with that tremendous enthusiasm, he lost control of his actions. He had been shy enough when she touched his hand, so without even thinking, or having the slightest control of his actions, he ended up throwing his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. Not quite realizing what he was doing...not yet anyway.

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