Down By The River (Oliver)

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

It felt quite peculiar to be out in the open, surrounded by nothing but nature, all on her own. Yassia had been alone with herself and the landscape for so many months of her travels, and she should be used to that kind of feeling. She WAS, and maybe that was the reason that made this so peculiar. With only a few steps outside the castle, she had fallen into her trained travelling stride, only noticing it when she realized the kind of garments she wore now were not befitting to such marches. Chuckling to herself, Yassia slowed down her pace, shaking her head and then looking up at the sky, savouring the sun on her skin. She knew many ladies who were afraid of exposing their fair complextion to the sun, but her long travels had cured her of such vanity as well, if there ever had been one. The Ailanthan sun could be merciless after all.

Her hand trailing loosely over tall grass and soft bushes, she seemed to wander aimlessly, but her eyes were scanning her surroundings for certain herbs and flowers. That had been one of the reasons for her escape from the Mercian castle, she needed to refresh her stock of herbs after treating Oliver, mostly with white moss and Calendula petals, but also using the perfect painkiller medicine, willow bark, on him. Willows often grew next to rivers, and white moss also liked it rather damp, so her feet were carrying her slowly towards the nearby river she had spotted on her travels here.
Oliver… he was another reason she had left the castle today. While coming here, she had tried to bury all hopes, as they had agreed on … not agreeing. They had all but dismissed their past after a serious, but – by hindsight – stupid fallout. And now? She was more confused than ever, after he had practically begged for her forgiveness. No, not for her forgiveness – for a chance. But a chance for what? To be friends… could she be friends with him? Could she bear to resign? But then, could she bear the even worse option, losing him altogether? The answer had been simple: no.

But there was also a third reason she had wanted to shy away from company today, and this reason lay in the very date of this day. No one knew what this day meant to Yassia and she had no desire to tell anyone, as this day had long since lost all joyous meaning for her.
Today was her birthday.
But her birthday had ceased to be a day of joy ever since she turned fourteen. It had become a day of remembrance and mourning. Because on this very day the dreadful news had reached the kingdom that His Royal Highness Crown Prince Ramon and Her Majesty Queen Rhiannon had been slain in a treacherous ambush by marauding mercenaries swarming the adjoining kingdoms after those had just ended a year-long war.
From this day on, her birthday had turned into anything but a celebration. They had found a different date to not rid her off celebrations altogether, but the true date was blemished for all eternity. It was best anyone forgot about it. Yassia though never could.

She wanted to be alone, without prying eyes, to think about old conflicts and new. To remember her mother and brother, and trying to make sense of whatever happened to her right now. Soon enough her mind was even more cluttered than it had been before, and her eyes yearningly wandered towards the glittering water that was now rushing past her. If only sorrows could be washed away by water like stains could. Stains on the soul though always remained.
However… would it be so wrong to try? Her fingers already started to fiddle with the lacing of her dress while he mind was still undecided, and soon she threw every doubt out of the figurative window. No one would see her after all. Maybe following her intuition would be the right thing to cheer her up. This crazy bath in the river she didn’t even know the name of would be her very own birthday present.

Clad only in her soft, white and nearly lucid chemise she also used as a nightgown, Yassia waded deeper and deeper into the river and lazily paddled against the current, laying on her back and staring up at the blue sky.
“Per molts anys, Yassia Remei”, she exclaimed, letting it be followed by a slightly bitter laugh. “Or Happy Birthday, like they say here.”

Tag: Oliver
Timeline: A few days after 'Love Heals'
Time of Day: midmorning

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

Despite the court physician's incessant warnings for Oliver to take it easy after the sword accident, the young prince had to get himself out of the castle and into the great forests outside. He was not only feeling bored, but he felt that he was growing weaker and weaker the more he was cooped up inside the walls of the castle. So here he was now, right smack in the middle of his beloved forest, the forest he knew all to well like the back of his hand, the forest he knew he could navigate through even with his eyes closed.

Riding astride his horse with bow and a quiver full of arrows, Oliver gently and slowly stepped into the first line of trees and immediately lost himself in the forest. Instantly, he felt alive, rejuvenated after nearly a week of practically being held prisoner inside the gloomy castle. The only consolation to that was seeing his friends up and about as well. Caitrin, Griff, and Yassia. Especially Yassia. Most often than not though, Edmund was always hogging her time. When Yassia was not checking up on his wound, Oliver hardly ever found the time to be with her alone. Caitrin and Griff also had their own business about Mercia that Oliver didn't want to unnecessarily impose himself upon them. The preparations for their pre-wedding party were already underway, and Oliver was definitely looking forward to making it a grand and happy one for his friend and her fiancé.

A few minutes trekking in, Oliver's keen sense of hearing picked up the sound of light steps upon the forest floor not far from where he was. He turned his head and spotted a doe, a dainty little female deer, darting past him. Oliver was reaching for his bow and arrow when an altogether different sound reached his ears and made him quickly turn in the opposite direction, towards where he heard the soft rush of running water. The thought of the refreshing river brought a smile to his face, and Oliver dismounted from his horse to walk on foot, not wanting to make any noise to catch whatever animal might be getting a drink from the river.

He tied his horse to the nearby tree, and grabbed his bow and arrow before making his way towards the river, parting branches and bushes as quietly as he could. Not too soon after, he saw a woman, her back to him. She was wearing nothing but her chemise as she slowly stepped into the river. The water made the thin fabric cling to her lithe and slender body, and Oliver had to take a deep breath to compose himself at the rather enticing surprise. While it was indeed a welcome sight for any man, Oliver was much of a gentleman to stay and feast his eyes on her. Not wanting to intrude on something private, he started to turn and retrace his steps back to his horse when he heard her speak.

“Per molts anys, Yassia Remei”

Oliver stopped at the exclamation. There was obviously no mistaking who the woman was now. Aside from the name, Oliver knew he would recognize that voice anywhere. He crouched down low not wanting to be seen. He didn't want her to think he was being a voyeur or something, but his curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to know what Yassia was doing in the forest. Was she with Edmund? If she was, she's taking a bath in nothing but her chemise? Where is his brother? Oliver couldn't help feel jealousy start to rear inside him at the thought, but then it stopped when she spoke again.

“Or Happy Birthday, like they say here.”

A frown appeared on Oliver's face when he realized that she was talking to herself now, and greeting herself a happy birthday as well. It's her birthday today? And she's spending it alone in the forest? Oliver's heart instantly went out to her, but he also didn't know what to do. He can't afford to just leave her alone. No one should be alone on their birthday. But then, he also couldn't reveal himself like this or else she'd think him a pervert. Wracking his brain for plans, he clumsily stepped back and cursed when he stepped upon a twig that made quite a loud snapping sound. Without waiting, he quickly retreated and ran towards where he had tied his horse and then mounted it, hoping Yassia hadn't seen him sneak away. Oliver took a deep breath, and then led his horse towards the river. He was going to go in there as if it was the most natural thing in the world. Yes, that was his plan. Lame, but it was a plan nevertheless.

"Sounds like a river up ahead, huh, Arrow?" he said, speaking deliberately out loud so his voice would hopefully carry itself towards her direction and warn her of his approach. "I'm thirsty. Are you?" He took another deep breath and then guided his horse into the clearing.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

The water didn’t wash away her sorrow, but Yassia still could feel its soothing and calming effect on her as the gentle waves sloshed over her body. Thankfully, the current was not too rapid and so she didn’t have to put too much effort in keeping herself from drifting off. The surrounding forest and meadow were calm and peaceful, only a few birds crossed her visual field that was still turned upwards towards the blue sky. A perfect day. And maybe it would turn out to be just that, she just had to believe in it and let go of everything that ailed her. Taking deep and slow breaths, she tried to abandon all thoughts. Normally she was a very social person and didn’t mind the hustle and bustle of a court like the Mercian was one, and she also didn’t mind spending time with people that wanted her attention. But they all didn’t know about this special day, and yet were too observant to not realize something was off with her today. Caitrin for one, though she spent much time with Griff. Yassia didn’t begrudge her that fact in the slightest, she was happy for her friend.

And then there was Edmund, who hardly wanted her off his side most days. His attention was flattering and in some ways truly appreciated, but Yassia couldn’t get rid of a slightly queasy feeling that always came with his smiles and his striving to please her. To what end was he giving her so much attention? In this world, nothing happened out of sheer goodwill, there was always a purpose behind every action. What was his purpose? Another problem she couldn’t solve right away, as she couldn’t simply ask him about it of course. That would have been rude, and against every rule in the book. Court life based on an intricate set of rules that mostly circled about appearance. What was true and what it appeared as were two entirely different things. Everyone knew that, but no one ever voiced it, else the house of cards that was their way of life would collapse inside a day. What was being left unsaid weighed far more than what was being pointed out. And again, everybody knew. Tugging at one strand in this labyrinth would just tighten everything into an inextricable knot.

Yassia was pulled from her rather sophisticated thoughts by a sharp cracking sound just up ahead in the forest. Paddling a little more rapidly, she brought her body into a vertical position and peered into the underbrush. Wasn’t there a frantic movement? Maybe some kind of animal, she tried to reassure herself, a deer, nothing more. But why would a deer run off at a sound it itself had made? Shaking her head slowly, she let her gaze wander around watchfully, taking a slow circle inside the water. Nothing.
Just when she had convinced herself that no living soul was left nearby, she heard a voice that rang out clearly towards her. And it was not just any voice.

"Sounds like a river up ahead, huh, Arrow?" "I'm thirsty. Are you?"
Oliver! She would recognize this voice anywhere on earth! Her first reaction was a concerned furrowing of her brows. He shouldn’t be out here! He shouldn’t even be out of his room, let alone riding through the forest! On a horse, with wound that only started to heal, so much could happen!! Was he out of his mind?!
Then however, she realized the situation she was in right now. The precarious and well-nigh scandalous situation! Her dress was draped on the riverbank, and before she reached it in time Oliver would have probably long since come into view. Should she hide? She already took in a deep breath to dive when she realized the absurdity of this option. There was her dress, for all to see. There was hardly a chance he would miss it, and before he turned away she would have already run out of breath anyway. Oh sweet stars, why now this as well?! Apparently they liked to get her into the most awkward situations possible and had a good laugh watching her trying to escape from them.

And there he was. Oliver. In the flesh, sitting on his horse like a glorious general, or the perfect huntsman he was. It was hard to not just admire him and forget about everything else. But she couldn’t, she had far worse problems to deal with. Something was nagging at her mind, about the curious coincidence that Oliver was appearing right after she had thought to see a shade running away before. But… he would not watch her like that, right? Then again, why was he talking to his horse? He should know that there was a river nearby, he lived here!
But there was no time to ponder about this further. As hiding was out of question, there was only one other option left. Attack is the best defense!
“Oliver Leofric Strathmore de Mercia!” she called out of the water like a strict mother. “You shouldn’t be here! You shouldn’t be out at all! What do you have to say for your defense?” While she spoke, she tried to show nothing but her chin above the water. Things were unseemly enugh already.

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

“Oliver Leofric Strathmore de Mercia!”

For a moment there, Oliver had to do a double-take as he thought it was his mother who was calling out to him. Yassia's rather sharp admonishment made Oliver think twice about his supposed plan of acting nonchalant about his entry into the clearing, but then he had to stay in character. The other option, that of admitting the truth, was just unacceptable, even to himself.

“You shouldn’t be here! You shouldn’t be out at all! What do you have to say for your defense?”

There was no choice but to look at the source of the voice, which was not surprisingly almost submerged under the river water. He was torn between feigning surprise or just being altogether amused at their current situation. Of course, it was not his intention to make her uncomfortable, but he couldn't think of anything else to do but to march right in and sort of announce himself, right.

Realizing that feigning surprise would be too theatrical and fearing that Yassia might see through his farce, he took another route. "Mother! So nice of you to step out of the castle and bathe in the river!" he responded teasingly instead, a wide grin on his face, as he stepped down from his horse. Slowly, he guided Arrow downstream from where Yassia was for some water, and then washed his own hands himself before splashing some water on his face.

Then he heaved a small sigh, and gave Yassia a warm, apologetic smile. "I don't mean to intrude. I had to get out of that castle or else I'll lose my mind," he admitted to at least that part of his story. There was no way he was admitting to the eavesdropping part. It wasn't intentional anyway. "I...umm...I've been a good boy, see. I was just riding my horse, nothing too strenuous." Oliver had the oddest feeling that he was like a little kid explaining himself to his mother after being caught with one hand inside the cookie jar. While it may irk some high and might prince to have to explain themselves, Oliver was very much cool with it. For one, he didn't want Yassia to think ill of him, to think that he was being rebellious yet again. And two, it was Yassia. One word from her, and he knew he was defenseless in her presence. There was no denying the strangely weird but welcome things that the lady could do to him. And besides, Oliver was already lost the very moment he had seen her with her lacy chemise clinging to her body earlier on.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

If Oliver felt overly awkward with this situation at all, he at least didn’t show it all too much. And that helped with her own awkwardness as well, gladly. He didn’t avert his eyes, blush, or acknowledge her unsuitable state in any other words, just like she was standing outside there, fully clothed. Yassia was quite thankful for his mastering of the situation, as she could simply copy it and act nonchalant.

"Mother! So nice of you to step out of the castle and bathe in the river!"

Mother?! Oh that made her laugh, despite the situation. The gall! Alright, she might have sounded monishing, but that didn’t give him the right to… well, it was not a bad thing, was it? Just so very unexpected and amusing. Knowing what a special relationship Oliver apparently had to his mother – he had told Lady Adelaide about meetin her in the Forest of Balor after all, which no one else knew! – it must be considered quite a compliment to be associated with her, if only in jest. But all for the sake of the game, Yassia of course had to play the offended one!
”I’ll give you ‘mother’”, she exclaimed and raised her hands to the surface of the river, shoveling water in his direction without any previous warning. Hopefully at least some of it would reach him! “That’s what you call washing your face? I’ll show you how it’s done!”

Where did that spontaneous liveliness come from?! Wasn’t she just being in the most awkward situation and should look how to get out of it? She was Princess Yassia after all, not a… and then it hit her. This was just like their first meeting, though of course only by the surroundings. A man and a woman, meeting outside in the very core of nature. Here it didn’t matter who they were, they were alone, not surrounded by people who knew them, not cooped up behind castle walls. With that gown lying on the riverbank, Yassia had also shed her responsibilties. That didn’t mean of course she could act like she wanted now… but she was more free than when they were in the castle together. This was where her high spirits came from! They had known all along that putting all matters of ranks aside, they would get on perfectly with each other.

A bit of these high spirits was still remaining, when she listened to his apology and reason. Of course, she should have known. Oliver the free bird… perhaps he really couldn’t stay inside walls for more than a day.
Still, she was his physician for the time being, and as such needed to be strict!
”Only horse riding? Tsk tsk!” But she said it with an almost lenient smile. “You know the amount of jolting a simple horse ride involves? If you want your wound to heal you need to be STILL, sweet stars!” Now she was shaking her head about so much foolishness, but the smile was still there, visible as well in her eyes. “I will have to check that out later, and only then you either get a monishing from me or I’ll say you’ve been lucky!”

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

The sound of her laughter ringing through the clearing was such a welcome addition to the soothing sound of the forest itself. He had always liked her laugh. To see the jovial look on her face and to know that he was the cause of it made Oliver feel a lot of wonderful and beautiful things all at the same time, things only Yassia could make him feel, things that he wanted to have in life for as long as he possibly could. He didn't know how she would react to his jibe. He was actually a bit apprehensive if it was the right thing to do in the current situation she was in, submerged in the river with nothing but her thin chemise on. But when she laughed and sloshed water in his direction, Oliver felt relief wash through him at the same time. The water drenched his boots and part of his breeches, but it was not like him to step back and retreat.

"Oi look who's talking, you're barely even wet!" And with that, he dipped one hand back into the river and shoveled more water back at her. And he didn't stop. He kept splashing water her way, an impish grin on his face, as he tried to see how she would react or retaliate this time. With all the water splashing while he was having a drink, Oliver's horse let out what seemed like an slightly annoyed grunt, which only made Oliver laugh. "See? Even Arrow agrees with me."

Then Yassia went on to with her healer tone of voice. Truth be told though, it was hard to take her seriously talking like that while submerged deep in the river. Still, Oliver found it very cute and rather heartwarming to see her care that much for him, or his wound, to give him a piece of her mind. "I'm fine really. You did a very good job at treating me, I might be back to swordfighting tomorrow," he tried to explain hoping to reassure her. The smile on her face told Oliver that he was not in deep trouble though. The thought of Yassia checking up on his wound made him feel rather tingly all over like it always does when she comes to his room every morning to wash it and change the bandages. Somehow, these days after the swordfighting incident and Yassia healing him, they had maintained quite an amicable relationship as Oiver had begged her back at the infirmary. He had thought it difficult to be back in good terms with her after all that had come between them, but it wasn't really. They really could get along quite well together. There was still some awkwardness, but it was better than ignoring each other. So much better.

"Well, I guess I'll let you get on with your bathing--if that's what you call it..." Oliver made one more shot at teasing her and went on to splash some more water in her direction as he moved to stand up. Oliver wasn't going to leave Yassia altogether though. He just thought it would be courteous to let her continue her bathing in private, and return when she's all dressed up. "I'll see if I can find some game we can eat." Too preoccupied with Yassia, he didn't notice Arrow moving behind him, and just before Oliver could stand up properly, his horse suddenly shoved him from behind and made him lose his balance. "ARRO--!" He barely got his horse's name out when Oliver toppled over and fell, arms flailing, right smack into the river.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

Result! Yassia felt very much like a mischievous child as she saw her water attack being so succesful, sousing Oliver’s boots and a part of his breeches. Apparently she hadn’t lost her good aim entirely over time,even though she had not been practicing much with her daggers over the last year – apart from when she had nearly killed Oliver of course. A hot sting of guilt made her shiver slightly in the water, even though it wasn’t even that cold,which was remarkable. Then she quickly tried to force these horrid thoughts from her mind. This was in their past now, and she had been lucky. Oliver had been lucky yet again that his brother’s sword had only pierced him slightly. Apparently the stars still had plans for him, but what these plans were only the stars knew. Banishing these rather sophisticated thoughts from her mind as well, just in time ro become aware of Oliver’s imminent retort and attack.
Barely even wet?! Now look who was talking! Yassia opened her mouth to retort something, when she was hidden with a mighty gush of water that just kept coming and coming. Sweet stars, he was bringing out the heavy artillery now alright! “Heeyy!” she spluttered and coughed. “Just you WAIT!” and then she tried to splash the water that was coming at her back at him, flailing her arms wildly until there was the mightiest splashfight going on she had ever seen! Goodness, it was so silly, and yet it felt so good!
She didn’t even notice that shoveling water away from herself, exposed her upper body somewhat to alert eyes, she was far too occupied giving him back what he deserved. He was still too far away to souse him completely, but her reaction at least kept a lot of water away from herself, not that it mattered much. She was already drenched through and through, and it felt quite refreshing, and the perpetual movement kept her warm.

Oliver probably wanted to reassure her with saying that he could go back to swordfighting tomorrow, but really he only achieved the opposite! The mere mentioning of swordfight brought back the sickening memory of those horrible split seconds where she had seen him fall, not knowing how severe the injury was. There was no way she would let him stumble into harms way again so soon, if she could help it!
”Nononono!” she protested firmly, trying her best healer glare, and also knew she would have to be careful. Just like herself, Oliver didn’t like being told what to do, and maybe he would guess too much of her true motives when she carried on protesting so much. “Let’s try this again, my dear Prince Oliver: You will go back to swordfight tomorrow or the day after if I tell you it is alright to do so. And you might have to do better than that to convince me. So far I am very opposed to this option!”
Yassia was so occupied with putting just the right amount of strength and relenting in her voice that the kind of suggestive meaning of her words completely escaped her.

And why on earth did she feel a pang of sadness as he acted completely correct, saying he would leave for a while, probably wanting to give her time to climb out of the water and dress herself? What did her treacherous heart expect?
”Yes indeed, where I come from bathing is a very important part of the daily schedule”, she retorted with a fake blasé voice, giving the act of a spoilt noble brat. “I don’t know how you keep it with that in the wild north, but maybe a bath wouldn’t do you so bad as well.”
She hadn’t even quite closed her mouth yet as suddenly the most hilarious and unexpected thing happened before her very eyes. Once moment, Oliver was standing confidently on the river bank, ready to turn around, the next he was all but sailing through the air and landed in the river with a mighty splash. A surprised squeal escaped Yassia’s mouth and her first impulse was to paddle towards him, seeing if he was alright. Half on her way though, the squeal turned into uncontrollable laughter which she unsuccesfully tried to stiffle with one hand.

”Seems this time Arrow agrees with ME!” she chuckled, as soon as Oliver’s head had resurfaced.

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

And the fight was on indeed! He didn't expect Yassia to fight back, but she did, and quite fiercely as well. His laughter rang through the forest with hers as he felt himself getting wetter by the minute. Suddenly, Oliver felt the weirdest sense of nostalgia overtake him. His mind filled with memories of their precious time together a year ago back in the Forest of Balor. She may have been in pain then, his fault, but she had let him help her, she had trusted him. They had joked and teased each other then...and then of course, they had kissed. He practically confessed his love to her in the middle of the mystic forest, under the stars. With a small chuckle, Oliver shook his head to clear away these thoughts. Those were the days. They were in the past now. And they will remain there. He may dig them up once in a while, but they will all remain inside him, in his thoughts and in his heart where he will draw strength from every now and then.

A bemused smirk appeared on his lips when she waved off his reassurance. He tried to hide the amusement from his face and listen to her healer-talk as any obedient patient would. My dear Prince Oliver... He liked the sound of that, and Oliver tried his best not to get carried away by her caring words. He wanted so bad to believe that her care and concern for him went beyond that of a healer, but he knew it would only be wishful thinking. She only agreed to staying friends with him after all. And after all that he had done to her, that was already more than he could ever ask for from her. "Yes, ma'am. I will do nothing of the sort without your expressed consent."

”Seems this time Arrow agrees with ME!”

He didn't even get to react to her retort about bathing. Everything had happened so fast that Oliver was still trying to get his bearings when he resurfaced from the unexpected splash. He had not expected to see Yassia so close. Apparently, she had swam towards him. What for? To see if he was all right? The thought warmed Oliver even with the cold river water around him, and he wanted to take advantage of the moment. And then maybe also get a little fun revenge. "AW!" he suddenly exclaimed as his hand went to the wound on his chest. He slipped his head back into the water, making a show as if the splash had hurt his wound and was making him weak and dizzy. Underwater, he counted to ten, and then slowly allowed his body to float, lying limp face down, back to the surface. Oliver may not exactly be an excellent swimmer, but he did know how to hold his breath for a long time underwater.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

Well, at least he wasn’t taking her concern badly. Even while she spoke, Yassia would have liked to take at least some of her words back. She knew Oliver didn’t like to be patronized, and she would hate to be the one causing him any discomfort. He might take things a little more responsible now, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t still the same old freedom-loving and rebellious man she had come to know… and love. Though the love couldn’t have any part in this anymore. His being out here alone showed that he couldn’t stay cooped up in walls for long, and even though she did not share this feeling, she still understood it. She didn’t want him to think he couldn’t be his true self around her. They both had seen what happened once they were acting not as themselves around each other. They had started a needless, bitter argument and it had ruined all their chances for happiness beyond friendship. Yassia could not bear the thought of losing his friendship as well, because she carried on imposing her will on him.

”I just want you to heal well, Oliver”, she expressed her thoughts, feeling the need to clarify herself in front of him. “Though I would never want to clip your wings. I don’t have the right to do that and I don’t even want that. What I say is what I THINK is best for you, but far be it from me wanting to overrule your own needs. After all”, now a grin took the slightly solemn edge of the conversation, “we don’t want you to become just the shadow of the man you want to be. Life without freedom and life without fun is no life at all.”
For a moment the old fear crept upon her again, the fear of being the one putting a crimp on his life, instead of being the one that made his life worth living. Then however she remembered that it didn’t matter anymore. They were just friends.

"AW!"
The painful exclamation coming from Oliver wiped the laughter from her face and her heart in the blink of an eye. For a moment, she could just watch in shock as his body seemed to cramp first and then go completely limp, so he was lying motionless in the water, face down like a--
”OLIVER!” Sweet, gracious stars, what had happened? Was it his wound not working well with the sudden, multiple motions, or had he suffered from a heart attack because of the cold water? Yassia was practically fighting ever drop of water as she rushed against the mild current to reach his side. Thank Goodness the river was not to deep,so she could stand. She needed the contact with the ground to muster enough strength!
Turn him around, get his face out of the water! Her mind was bellowing instructions at her and she followed them numbly, grateful for the buoyancy as she grabbed his shoulders and rolled his body around so his head came to rest on her chest.
Check his breathing! It was so difficult because of the water, but Yassia leaned over Oliver’s face as close as she could while still holding him up against her chest and waited for the relieve of a wisp of air on her skin, coming from his nostrils. "Breathe, breathe, you impossible person! I'll kill you if you won't!" she murmured frantically.

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

Yassia was telling him about freedom and not wanting to clip his wings. Where in the world did she ever get the idea that she was restricting him in any way? She was doing nothing of the sort. Far from it in fact. He understood the care and concern that she had for him was for his own good. If he would unnecessarily exert himself while his wound was still fresh, it would only stress it out and might even make the healing longer. Oliver understood that much to think that as her clipping his wings or putting him in a ball and chain.

"Yassia, don't worry about it. I understand your concern. I appreciate it, in fact. It's not everyday that I get fussed over like this, so I welcome it. Thank you for looking after me," he had replied then. The last thing he wanted was for Yassia to think that she was crippling him in any way. Truth be told, he even felt like he was the luckiest guy in the world to have someone like Yassia look after him...or his health for that matter. In fact, he actually felt luckier than Edmund was right this minute, which made him wonder where his brother was. Usually, Edmund was almost always with Yassia if he wasn't attending to some of his princely duties, most of which their father had actually excused him from with Yassia in the castle.

He could faintly hear her frantically yelling his name with most of his head now down underwater. Success! Oliver could hear and feel the splash of the river water as Yassia moved even closer to him. It didn't take long for Oliver to feel her soft and cold hands against him as she grabbed his shoulders and rolled him around. He wasn't so sure now how long he could keep this charade up, and he felt his resolve slipping when he felt his head rest against her chest. Now, he wasn't expecting this!

"Breathe, breathe, you impossible person! I'll kill you if you won't!"

He can't open his eyes now, can he? His treacherous heart was enjoying this far too much. And as much as Oliver would want to deny it, he was liking the sensation as well. He knew he shouldn't be doing this. He knew he shouldn't be taking advantage of her like this, but he wanted so bad to feel her touch, missed it even. To be in the middle of the forest brought nothing but the nostalgia of their past meeting in the same setting, and Oliver was much to weak to resist the call of his heart. Forgive me, my love. I just miss you so much. And so he stayed limp, holding his breath as much as he could, simply because he didn't know how to get himself out of this rather crazy predicament he had put himself in. Seems like this has always been the case whenever he was around Yassia.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

Had all her concerns been pointless after all? Was he really meaning it when he said she was not doing too much? Not that it should matter anyway, but Yassia wanted to hard to believe him. He had once told her about the times before he met her, that he had his heart broken by being forced away from a gypsy lover. Of course, strictly speaking and from the status point of view, a dalliance with a a gypsy was out of question. But judging fom Oliver’s feelings and his general ways, it was almost a logical consequence. Then again, he had said he had realized he had loved the freedom she provided more than the actual person, in the same night he had all but confessed his love for her. But then he had thought her a nomad as well, a free bird, and once he had found out who she really was, they had gone their separate ways and the scars of that fight were still healing. What was the use pondering over it anyway? Oliver would probably not end up with a gypsy or a nomad, but he would not be ending up with her either. That milk had already been thoroughly spilled.”Well, don’t get too used to the fuss though”, she retorted with a wink. “Once you’re healed the kid gloves will be put away.”

Nothing… nothing at all. No wisp of breath coming from him! For a moment, Yassia felt overwhelmed by choking panic. No, this could not be! Not today! Was her birthday cursed or what, so that she lost everyone she loved on that damned day?! What had she done wrong for the stars sake, to deserve such a fate? And then another face came to the forefront of her mind, appearing before her inner eye. Mircea. She had lost him to the water too. She had not known it until later, but when she had woken up on the strand, he had been gone, and no search operation later induced by King Lorcan had found even the remains of his body. The water had taken him from her. But this time it would not win!
”Not this time!” she cried out and it what as well defiant protest as desperate plea. “I won’t let it happen!”

Alright, if he didn’t want to breathe, she would have to make him! She knew what she had to do, even though she shied away from it. It was so much different from saving any other person. If not for their difficult relationship, she would not hesitate a second. But time was wasting, she knew that. Oliver needed to breathe, or he would die within the next minute. There was no time to be squeamish, and no time to wish for a different outcome of things. It all had started so wonderful, but that was not how it was supposed to be apparently. But she’d be damned if she gave up so easily!
”Come on then!” she murmured and started to drag through the water, aiming for the river bank. His upper body was still held by her chest and she held him by his bent forearm. It was his luck the river was not too wide, and so she could drag him up the bank very soon, but once she was half out of the water and he was as well, his weight nearly pulled her down again. But she could do this only once he was at least halfway outside.

As soon as his torso was firmly propped up on the bank, she went down on her knees beside him, gently took his head between her hands, and bent down to give him the kiss of life.

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

"Not this time! I won't let it happen."

Her panic was real, sincere. Her voice held a touch of denial and an earnest plea that what was happening before her couldn't be real. And it was all Oliver needed not to rouse from his charade. Not this time. Her words rang in his head as he tried to think about the implications, the reasons behind such cry. Then it hit him. And it hit him hard. Yassia had lost so many people in her life that a joke about death was anything but funny at all. He would understand if Yassia would truly hate him now. Like always, he had been rather callous, thinking only of the fun in the moment rather than the repercussions. Will he ever learn? He tried, truly. He had been trying his best to act as responsibly as he could, but he just couldn't help but get carried away by the freedom and carefree atmosphere of the woods. He had hurt his family once before when it happened. He knew he was hurting Yassia now.

Then he realized that she had moved him towards the riverbank. He knew what was coming next. Yassia was going to revive him, and Oliver felt the guilt gnaw inside him like a leech. He had to end this. Now. Yes, he will have to face Yassia's resentment, but it was best over and done with. He just hoped he had not ruined her birthday too much. He was determined to make up for it.

Oliver was about to open his eyes when he felt her hands take his head, and before he could move, he felt her soft lips against his own. The slightest touch made him feel weak and he was immediately lost in the moment. All the frenzied thoughts in his head evaporated at the touch of her lips next to his. Just like that, he was held captive by the magic of her touch. Without much thought, he lifted his hand and held her head, just as he gently moved his lips to feel more of hers, to turn the kiss of life into one of love. Tingles and shivers raced through his body, and he felt a profoud yearning rise up from deep inside him, calling to her, reaching out, wanting to hold her close. Forever. Heavens, how he missed the feel of her lips! How he missed her!

Then he opened his eyes, fearful of what he might see in hers. "I'm sorry...I just..." Utterly lost for words, Oliver just prepared himself for whatever outburst that was going to come out of Yassia after what he just did.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

Yassia’s mind and gone completely blank, as she simply refused to let the panic get to her. It was some sort of protective mechanism, so she still could function, without the horrid pictures of what could be making it impossible for her to do what she had to do and in that course MAKING the pictures become reality. Oliver could not die. It was impossible. Why was it that every time they seemed to finally get along, something happened to tear them apart? Was it the cruel way of the stars to remind her this was not her path to take? That she should finally let go of him, and if she did not, they would take him away from her in all finality? Why?! He didn’t want her anymore anyway, he had pushed her away and now they had only started to find a fragile in-between. Couldn’t the stars see she was TRYING for goodness sake?

But the how and why did not matter right now, the main and only thing was that Oliver survived. For that she needed to do this, and it didn’t matter that the kiss of life was what it said: a kiss. It didn’t matter… it shouldn’t…
But it did, deep down inside Yassia rose this feeling she knew all too well by now. A yearning she could not control and that was always connected with no one but Oliver. No one else made her feel this way. She wanted to give him her breath so he could survive, but she knew she also wanted to kiss him, feel his soft lips on hers and feel the sweet tingling of her skin and below. She wanted to wash away all that had happened between them since their last kiss and wanted to be hold tight, snuggle into his arms and feel safe.

And of course it happened just like she had anticipated it. The moment her lips made contact with his mouth, she had to fight hard against being washed away by a tide of emotions and memories. She wanted him so much! Until now she had been able to fight against her overwhelming feelings, but this was too much. Live, my love… for me. I cannot be without you! She tried to shake herself out of it and took a deep breath to donate the oxygen to him – when suddenly she felt him move and his lips respond to hers. Her first reaction was pure instinct, only dictated by the raw emotions inside her. Simply accepting the miracle of his sudden resurrection, not even questioning it, she felt herself responding to his kiss with a kind of desperate passion. She could not bear to lose him, not now, not ever!
A moment later however, her mind caught up with the present, and Yassia broke away from their kiss with a shocked gasp. This was wrong! He couldn’t wake up so quickly if his breathing had stopped. There was only one explanation to this and it made her desperately angry.

“You tricked me!” she hurled at him, scrambling to her feet and fighting the urge to kick him. “You… you…” however much she tried, there was not even a bad name that was worse enough to suit him in this moment. “What’s the name of this game you’re playing, Oliver?! Do you have any idea how scared I was?!” But she was not only lashing out in anger, she was still fighting the raging storm of emotions inside her. It had felt so right kissing him. But it was wrong. Or was it?

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

The worst part about this charade was that Yassia was truly believing it, and she was panicking because of it. Part of Oliver felt rather elated at the effect the thought of his death might possibly have on Yassia, but then the sensitive and sane part knew this was all wrong. It had terribly backfired against him. What started out as a harmless joke was turning into a nightmare, mainly for Yassia, and by connection for him. He never thought he'd hate hearing the desperate sound of her voice asking, begging, for him not to die. It was crawling inside him like a cold empty nothingness, slowly robbing him of his senses. The sound of Yassia's cries was numbing him, shutting him down to darkness. It was frightening.

Then she responded to his kiss. And Oliver felt all those numbing senses come to life in an instant, zapped back to him with a click of a finger. The softness of her lips against his, the way she had accepted and returned his kiss, it was like a balm, a panacea of sorts, that just takes all the pain and worries away, heals everything.The kiss only reaffirmed what Oliver knew and felt all along. He can never live without Yassia in his life. A life without her wouldn't be much of a life at all. If he can't have her for himself, then he will have her as his brother's wife, as long as he could see her everyday, be bestowed by the simple pleasure of her smile even from far away. Yes, he would content himself with that, as long as he could have her near.

The magic and wonderful spell was broken all too soon when she pulled back from the kiss and gasped. Oliver wished reality had stepped back and just let him have this dream for a few more minutes, a few more moments. But it wasn't meant to be. Reality came crashing down like it always does for him and Yassia. And Oliver knew this was the moment he had been dreading.

“You tricked me!” Oliver dropped his head in shame, knowing full well it had been nothing but his fault.

“You… you…” He would understand if she would call him every despicable word there was ever made, and he would not protest. He would accept it with a sorry and humble heart for he knew quite well what he had put her through.

“What’s the name of this game you’re playing, Oliver?! Do you have any idea how scared I was?!”

There were no words. Yassia was livid. No words could describe the anger that was very clear in her eyes. Oliver wished he could undo what had happened, but then if he did, he wouldn't have the greatest pleasure of feeling her lips against his again. That he knew he wouldn't trade for anything in the world, even in his lifetime. "I didn't realize until it was too late. Believe me, I had no intention of hurting you or scaring you like that, I am so sorry," he tried explaining, sitting up and reaching a beseeching hand out towards her. He wanted to hug her, but unlike before, he knew he no longer have the right anymore. Instead, Oliver dropped himself back into the water, and closed whatever space there was between them. He took her hands in his and held it tightly, not wanting her to shake him off. "The last thing I want is to destroy this day, this special day I am given with you. Please forgive me, Yassia. I can't bear the thought of you getting angry at me again." Boldly, he moved one of his hand to cup her cheek, and he gazed deep into her eyes. No, he couldn't allow her to get so angry at him again. Back in Camelot, it had sliced through his heart, and he didn't ever want to feel that way again anymore. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. "I know I'm not being a very good friend right now, but please let me make it up to you."

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

It had been too much, simply too much to go through in such a short time, a variety of emotions that coursed through Yassia in their usual fierceness. The princess knew that feelings were and had always been a problem for her, and it simply lay in the nature of her heritage. The Ailanthan people were very focussed on manners while at the same time the hot southern blood coursed through their veins. Their feelings were always the maximum, whether it was love, anger or sadness. They loved TOO much, that’s why they were infamous for their jealousy. They often enough were TOO angry and thus were known for temper fits. And when they were sad… it took a special, a really special occasion or person to get them out of it.

And now Yassia had been through so many of these strong emotions in quite a short period of time. Joy when they had bantered around like in the old times, sadness and despair when she had thought him on the brink of dying and now anger for being tricked. And over all that was still the very prominent feeling of rejected love. It was no wonder she now suddenly felt quite exhausted. The anger had fuelled her on, had kept her energy level up high, but as per usual Yassia’s anger was like a flash in the pan. Hot, bright and searing, but gone as soon as it had come, when it was souzed correctly.
"I didn't realize until it was too late. Believe me, I had no intention of hurting you or scaring you like that, I am so sorry,"
And there it was, the perfect remedy against her anger. Oliver. It was quite annoying, but she never could stay angry at him for long, even when she wanted to. She wanted to now. She felt betrayed, beyond the simple jest of playing dead. She knew she was partly to blame for overreacting. But what had followed then went far beyond a rascal prank.

He had kissed her. Even though he had said they were just friends. Yassia knew she had been wrong in responding to it, and yet she had, because it was simply beyond her power to stop. And now she felt even more betrayed. Did he think he really could do that to her? Pick the sweetcorn out of everything, steal a kiss and yet remain without the commitment? That was so wrong!
She wanted to tell him all that, but she had lost the strength for it along with the dying anger once he begged for her forgiveness. She was just tired… and yearned for a little un-complexity in her life.
The moment he took her hands and held them firmly, she knew she was lost. It was unfair he could play with her like that, and he surely didn’t deserve her mercy. But Oliver had long since turned out to be her one true weakness. Their separation had been too painful, she would forgive him a thousand times over if that meant they would be able to stay friends.

What had become of proud Princess Yassia indeed, the woman that had not bowed nor broken under the worst assaults on her honor and dignity? So many men had thought it possible to play with her, and yet she had never yielded to even one of them. She had remained strong and had been proud of it. But Oliver could take her in one stride and reduce her to nothing but a pathetic lovesick creature. And the worst was she had to muster up the strength to even care.
”This special day?!” she repeated bitterly. “You have no idea how ‘special’ this day is for me, Oliver. This day is cursed. And for a moment I feared you had fallen prey to the same curse. I should have known you were only playing, I really feel stupid now.”
He wanted to ‘make it up’ to her? How on earth would he want to try that? The only thing he could do to make it better would be rewind the last few moments so they could return to the lighthearted banter of before. And that, they both knew that, was impossible.

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

Oliver felt really bad for what he did. He hadn't expected it to turn out like this. Sometimes in moments of pure bliss, you tend to forget about the sad past. While that may be good, there is always that danger of bringing the past back up in a rather callous way like he did. Even though it was never his intention to do so, he still felt terribly guilty for it. To joke about death to a person who had lost everyone in her life was in bad taste. Oliver should get that note planted on the thick of his skull. He didn't want this to happen again.

It would have been easier to just ignore the kiss and to focus more on his failed attempt at a joke. But even outside in this wide open forest, it still felt like one big elephant trying so hard to remain obscure but still very much within his periphery. He knew it was unforgivably wrong. To take advantage of the moment, to think of nothing but the desires of his own heart and body, to succumb to that brief moment of weakness...it was so wrong in every sense of the word--and yet it felt so right. He finally resolved not to say another word about it unless she would. It was perfect in itself. She had responded to his kiss, and that was more than enough to last him for a while...maybe even for the rest of his life knowing he can never have her anymore.

The bitterness in her voice pierced through Oliver. He would have told her that he knew what this day was to her, but then that doesn't sound like such a good idea right now. Oh, but how he wanted to know, how he wanted to tell her that it will not always stay this way. Things are looking up for her now. Oliver was going to make sure that she would never had to suffer again. "No, it's not, Yassia. Please don't say that. And even if you think it is, I will not allow it to stay that way anymore...starting today." He continued to hold her gaze. He wanted to show her how much he really meant what he said. He might as well have admitted outright that he knew it was her birthday, but perhaps it was best to just keep it this way, for now. "Am I forgiven?"

With a small tentative smile, Oliver heaved a deep sigh of relief. Then he stepped away from her and heaved himself out of the river. He took Arrow and tied his reins at a low-lying branch before turning back to her. "I'll be right back. Don't go anywhere," he said before turning towards the nearby clump of trees and disappearing through it.

It took him almost half an hour before he stepped right back into the clearing. There was a small hesitant grin on his face as he walked towards where he had last seen Yassia. "Yass, look what I got," he said as he held up three dead hare and a basket full of wild fruits and berries. He placed the fruits on the ground, and walked towards the river to start cleaning his catch. Then he suddenly stopped what he was doing. "If you don't like eating wild animals and berries, we can head back to the castle and raid the kitchens..." he said, not so sure now if Yassia would even want to try eating like this after her experience as a nomad when she fled Ailantha.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

Sweet stars, why did she have to be such a mood killer? Why couldn’t she just simply let the past be the past? Without the constant drama?! It wasn’t right to be ruled by it constantly, and let it affect the people around you.She nearly had lost Caitrin’s invaluable friendship because she had been jealous of nothing but a deep friendship between her and Oliver, and now she had ruined a wonderful afternoon because she could not take a joke. Given, it had been a bad joke, but then how could Oliver know? How could he know what had happened to her and how could he imagine she was so… thin-skinned? Yassia really started to feel worse by the second, and it didn’t help Oliver seemed in a mood for self-slandering.But then, he WAS partly to blame,was he not? He had taken the joke too far, taking advantage of her like that. Why did he do that? Why had he kissed her? He could not know how much that meant to her, but he SHOULD know she was not that kind of girl.

And now they were just accumulating more and more things that stood between them, instead of trying to start again new. Should she mention the kiss at all? Or should she act as if it never happened? He seemed sorry enough already without pointing that out. And there was also another reason: Somehow Yassia didn’t want to hear an apology for it. It might be crazy and so wrong, but she knew she couldn’t bear the words out of his mouth saying that it had been wrong and that he should not have done it. Yes, indeed, it was better to not mention it at all… better for them both,

And Oliver was never sweeter than when he tried to be sincere, when he was beseeching her. It might be a trick, but then it might also be nothing but heartfelt. Oh, it was so unfair he had that power over her, no one else in heaven nor hell had that power over her! And yet he didn’t want her. It was all so terribly wrong.
Maybe he was right… maybe she should finally let go of the past and start anew. Maybe now was the perfect time. Forget about all that had been and might have been. Trying a new start. Again.
“Starting today?” she assured, sounding a little hesitant still.It was hard to let go of the firm belief that this day as unlucky. But then, he had only been playing, he had not been dying.She would not lose him, therefore this day could turn out to be nothing but any other day. “Yes…” she gave in with a relenting sigh. “I will try. And you are forgiven. Just… promise me one thing: Never again joke about death with me. At least not without a warning. I’m too weak and pathetic to get such jokes.”

Yassia was tempted to tell him not to go anywhere in his thoroughly wet clothes, as he might catch a chill, but then she was really not his mother and she didn’t want to irritate him further. Once he was gone, she stepped out of the river herself and finally found the time to dry at least so much so she could dress again. Over the conflict they both had had, Yassia had all but forgotten how scandalously she presented herself as, but she wanted to change that as soon as she could. Her dress had warmed up through the sun rays while lying on the river bank and so after wringing out the damp chemise, Yassia gladly stepped into the dry gown. She could close the lacing only vaguely without the help of a maid, but then it was still far better than running around in her wet undergarments.
Oliver took his time and it also gave her the opportunity to think and to come to terms with what had happened. She decided to start anew and give him the chance to make this a good day for her,if that was what he wanted. She wanted it too, no doubt of that.

So when he returned, Yassia greeted him with a warm smile and her eyes lit up at the treats he had got her. How sweet indeed!
”What are you talking about?!” she protested, smiling broadly. “As long as I don’t have to eat these raw I’m all for it.And berries… you should know, berries are one of my dearest weaknesses!"

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

“Starting today?”

Yassia sounded rather hesitant, and it made Oliver think about how truly painful it must have been what she went through. To lose everyone you love, to be alone in this world, Oliver could only imagine how horrible and lonely it must be for her. Now more than ever, Oliver wanted to comfort her, to relieve her of that pain in whatever little way he could, to assure her that starting today she would never truly be alone. He wanted desperately to be that person who would spend eternity with her, to be by her side forever, but he had lost that opportunity now. Oliver only hoped that Edmund would make her happy, would make her forget all the pain, and make her look forward to a beautiful future ahead. For his part, Oliver will try his best to be there for her...as her friend.

A warm smiled spread through his lips when Yassia said she would try. It was a start. She can never truly move on unless she let go of her past and not let it anchor her down. She needed to sail on, and to hear her do her best to try, it was a good way to start. "Never again, Yass. Not about death. Though I will do everything in my power to make you smile or laugh whenever I can," Oliver replied, quite joyful at having been forgiven. Take what she will from his words, but Oliver indeed just made a rather hasty vow to see her smile or hear her laughter again. He wanted nothing but to see her happy.

Oliver saw that she had put her gown back on, and he brushed away the little disappointment that had crept inside him. Mentally, he reprimanded himself. Yassia was no longer his to think about her like that. He, too, had to let go of that past. He may still have all these strong feelings towards her, but more than anything, he respected her. If she were any other woman, he would have probably charmed and seduced her already, probably dragged her to a nearby tavern. But no, of course not. She was Yassia, and Oliver himself was no longer the heartless womanizer he used to be. Of course, there was still the occasional trip to the tavern to spend a few hours with the "ladies" there, but even Oliver himself had to admit that that was starting to lose its steam. Right now, his world simply revolved around this one amazing lady, even if they had both forsaken that one beautiful day they were given a year ago.

"I made a snare to trap these rabbits. No bows and arrows as you ordered," he told her with a grin as he started skinning the rest of his catch, somehow proudly telling her that he heeded her wise healer advice. As soon as he was done cleaning the animals, he washed the berries and placed them back onto the small makeshift basket he had haphazardly fashioned out of leaves. The fact that he was somehow reliving their last meeting in the forest was not lost on Oliver. It was unintentional. He just hoped that Yassia wouldn't resent him for it, for possibly bringing back memories of their past. Well, he hoped she wouldn't see the comparison, but fat chance that. "I'm not eating them raw either," he said as he placed the basket of berries in front of her, grabbed one and popped it into his mouth before he started making them a fire.

As he was rubbing his flint towards some dried twigs and leaves, a thought suddenly came to him. He remembered that Yassia had taken on the life of a nomad when she had left Ailantha. He was curious now as to what she had learned traveling through the forests and villages all on her own. "How long did it take you to reach Camelot? I mean, you've traveled far with practically nothing. You're pretty tough to have survived all that," Oliver remarked, sincere admiration ringing in his voice. He was imagining now exactly what it had been like for Yassia. Had it been fun or grueling? He couldn't help the inquisitive hunter side of him take over now.

[Yassia Dyfrène de Ailantha]

(banner made by Cait <333)

Yassia still had his last words vividly in her mind as she waited for him to return. I will do everything in my power to make you smile or laugh whenever I can… Did he really mean that? How could he say such a thing and yet just want them to be friends? She valued his friendship, no doubt of that, she valued it higher than many of those ‘friendships’ she had – the one to Cait being the sacred exception – but what she really wanted was more than that. Could she learn to live with less? Then again, it probably would not be for long anyway, as she would be given help by his family soon. Then she would return to Ailantha, win back her throne and thus have other problems than the choice between love and friendship. She would miss Albion and every one of these kind souls the stars had granted her at her side, no doubt of that, but she knew her place was not here. She felt the calling of her homeland like a tug at her heartstrings, and she knew it was not only homesickness. It was her destiny.

And now he had returned, seemingly very adamant on making up for what he had done wrong earlier. Who was she to deny him these tries? There might be quite an amount of selfishness from her own side involved, as the idea of a birthday not spent with remembrance and grief intrigued her. It would be her first true birthday in years. And he didn’t even know how happy that would make her. No, she probably would not tell him, it would make him self-conscious again, fearing what he did was not good enough for such a special day. He would probably want to announce it and make a public celebration out of it in the castle, while all she wanted was happening right here and there: She was spending a quiet, yet serene afternoon with the man she still loved. There could not be any better birthday present, even though it was not meant to be.
Yassia vowed to herself that she would try, try really hard to savor this day as long as it lasted. No more drama. And she hoped the stars would grant her that as their very own birthday present.

Yassia let go a chuckle at Oliver’s obvious pride of having been a good boy. It was so sweet how he tried to obey her healer commands, even though he probably felt like breaking out any second. What would she have done in his place, really? But then, the only time she had been really, severely injured, had been the same incident where she had met Oliver. She had been her own healer then, and driven by the need to reach Camelot unpertubed. She had pushed herself on and on, and it had been a good amount of luck involved that her wound had really healed properly.
“Very good, you’re a fine patient”, she lauded him with a wink as she watched him skillfully skinning the rabbits. Two years before, the sheer sight of something like that might have appalled her, but not anymore. She found time to admire his practical and self-assured, almost graceful movements.
“In any way, it doesn’t seem like your wound broke open during your river stunt”, she remarked, letting her gaze linger on his stainless shirt. “That is a very good sign, I might just lift the bow-ban from you, starting today.”

As the basket of berries was placed before her, Yassia could not resist any longer and snatched one, savouring the bittersweet taste on her tongue. For a moment it felt odd, being the one not doing anything and just watching while Oliver worked, but then she remembered that coming from her status, this was how it should be. A princess should not get her hands dirty like that. It must have been the surroundings, reminding her of the time when she had to look after herself. How odd that it should feel more ‘natural’ in these circumstances than sitting around idly.
Oliver’s question took her by surprise, but she was by no means opposed to telling him this. Maybe he felt it too, that these surroundings and circumstances practically called for reliving her nomad time, though she felt a little awkward at his admiring tone. Was she really to be admired?
“I almost lost track of the time”, she began with a soft smile, “but my estimation is about three to four months. But that was due to many facts I could not foresee. Being alone in Albion, on foot and without much money, I more often than not lost my way and had to retrace my steps.”

An almost wistful smile crossed her face as she remembered the good times and the bad. “In hindsight it feels like just one big adventure, but at that time it was hard. Though I had people that helped me. I guess, seeing someone helpless brings out the best in some… and the worst in others.”

---

o.O My apologies for the length!! I didn't plan it such

[Oliver Strathmore of Mercia]

At the back of his mind, Oliver knew that wild hare and forest berries are not enough to celebrate the birthday of a princess. But then he wanted this, to be alone with her, to be the one to make her happy even at least on this special day of hers. He could and would willingly throw a grand party for her, but somehow he felt it wouldn't be something that she would want, that the meaning of this day would only be lost in all the revelry. And then of course, he was being selfish. He wanted her for himself on this day. Thank the fates for whatever it was that kept Edmund away and busy to be hogging Yassia's time today.

“Very good, you’re a fine patient”

Oliver couldn't mistake the hint of pride in her voice, and as much as he wanted to revel in it, he didn't want to hope too much. Was she really pleased that he was being a fine patient? Only a patient and nothing more? That she was saying these words as a healer and nothing more? All these efforts at trying to read between her lines was starting to get a tad bit stressful, but it was all that was keeping Oliver from breaking out and breaking away. To try and feel the reasons and emotions behind her words, it was what fueled him to keep going everyday. He just hoped that the fire wouldn't die down when she says 'yes' to Edmund's proposal. As long as he keep all these thoughts and emotions inside, everything would be fine. Oliver hoped.

"I might just lift the bow-ban from you, starting today."

"Really? You are not joking? Wait--you said 'might.' What do I need to do to make it official?" Oliver asked with a cheeky grin. He had to make sure. He didn't want to get his hopes up to high just yet. His mind was already swarming with the many things he could show her as soon as he gets himself shooting again. She was right. His wound was healing fast. He was feeling all fine and dandy now. He could hardly feel any pain or sting from the wound on his chest. His chances were looking mighty fine by his opinion, but then he wasn't the healer here.

Attentively, he listened to her speak about her travel from Ailantha to Albion. She had traveled alone, on foot, with no directions whatsoever to where she was going. She was practically just leaving it all to fate. Oliver shuddered to think what might have happened had misfortune met her along the way. Still, he was glad she survived that ordeal and even came out of it not only alive but stronger, more resilient. "I had admired you and your spirit the first time we met. And I know my admiration will only grow as I get to know more of you and your story," Oliver said, carefully choosing his words as he was now treading on sensitive territory--their first meeting, where it all began, where they had both declared their love for each other. It was a past that will now only be cherished for whatever happiness it had given them both. Nothing more. "I was reading a geography book about Ailantha the other night. Your kingdom is quite far. I can't imagine all that walking...and you had to cross the sea..." he added, deftly changing the topic now back to Ailantha before she could even respond to his first comment.