backstreetbard | a lion among ladies

[ Dorothea doesn't exactly love spending time in the cathedral of Garreg Mach's campus, as stunning as the stained glass windows and flying buttresses are to behold. She hasn't put stock in the Seirosi faith since she was six years old.

In spite of that, she can still be seen there often in the days following the mission to quell the Western Church's rebellion in Gaspard territory, her hand rubbing circles in Ashe's back. She understands what it feels like to lose a parent, though she doesn't speak of it; instead, she only listens as he very gradually works his way through the shock and pain. Sometimes the only comfort is commiseration.

It's draining, though. She has to step back eventually, to try and shake off the old familiar feelings that watching another orphan in mourning dredges up in her.

Standing on the bridge that leads to the cathedral, she inhales the fresh mountain air and releases a sigh as she looks out over the scenery. A flash of blue in her peripheral vision catches her attention, though, and she's back on stage, turning to face her new house leader. ]

On your way to pray?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

hauntedking

[ Dimitri feels his cheeks start to burn as they settle in and he realizes just how close she's going to be sitting for the duration of the ride. There's a heat in his gut and a tightness in his trousers that he can't do anything about - not when he can feel the soft warmth of her pressed so close and her hands clasped around his front. He clears his throat and urges Molly out into the yard. ]

Well - hold on then.

[ The Academy has riding trails, of course, and open pastures. It's not going to be a particularly exciting ride. Probably. It's all for training purposes, after all. Molly settles into a steady walk for him, Dimitri's eyes on the path ahead. ]

Not so bad, is it?

From:

backstreetbard

[ Dorothea doesn't intend to torture poor Dimitri; if they're going to be on the same horse together, this is the way to do it, but at this proximity she can easily see the way his cheeks are turning red, especially when she hooks her chin over his shoulder.

Okay, so maybe she wants to torture him a little bit.

That being said, she's not holding on to him just because she wants him to be painfully aware of her presence in the saddle behind him, but because riding on horseback is legitimately a little unnerving to her. It's better than being in a position where she could be kicked or stepped on, but there's always the possibility of falling and being injured. She hopes he doesn't mind it if her grip on him is particularly tight. ]

It... it isn't so bad, no. [ She chuckles softly. ] Better than I was expecting, actually. I appreciate you humoring me like this. I could even see how it could be fun, once you're used to horseback.

From:

hauntedking

[ Well, he doesn't mind per se, it just makes him acutely aware of how soft and warm she is and also how good she smells and-

He's going to stop thinking about it. Or try to. He glances back at her a bit as they start to circle out into the field. There's not much else to it - blue skies, green grass, and the distant sounds that filter in from the rest of the academy. ]

I enjoy it a great deal and showing it to you is my pleasure, honestly.

[ He laughs quietly. ]

Besides, if I can get you to enjoy it more, then we'll have something else to do together.

From:

backstreetbard

[ As Molly walks them down along the trail, Dorothea allows herself to begin relaxing. She doesn't loosen her hold on Dimitri by much, but this is... actually pretty pleasant. Dimitri is a sturdy presence to anchor herself to, and Molly's pace is steady, her gait even. The sun is warm and the trail is scenic. ]

I'll give it a try next time--riding on my own, I mean. Fortune favors the bold, or so they say. Though I like riding with you. You make me feel so comfortable.

[ Dorothea sighs softly, simply basking in a moment so ideal that her former street urchin self would have believed it impossible. She's at an exclusive private school riding on the back of a white horse with a real-life prince, and he's been so sweet to her this whole time.

Comfortable silence settles between them for a while, and Dorothea's hands eventually unclench altogether. She hesitates, debating on what to do with them, but ends up leaving them looped around his waist. After a time, she asks: ]

Do you ever think about your future? What are your plans once you leave the academy?

From:

hauntedking

Well... I'm glad that I do make you feel that way.

[ His heart flutters and his words spill out of him before he can find a way to think better of it. ]

I feel the same - anything seems possible when we're able to spend time together. It never fails to bring a smile to my face.

[ Well, that's a bit sappy, but it's true. Good ol' puppy love. He lets the silence go on after that, content to just ride and bask in their shared presence. At least until she asks about the future. ]

Well... I'll be king one day. And I suppose I'll have to run the kingdom and do my best to help unwind everything and make sure the people prosper. That's all I've really thought about so far. What about you?

From:

backstreetbard

There's a lot I'm undecided about, if I'm being honest. I love to sing, but I don't know if I want to go back to the opera. I want to have a family. You know that I'm an orphan; because of that, I've always wanted to have children of my own, but not until I can be certain that they'll be taken care of if something happened to me, whether or not they have crests.

[ Dorothea knows it's a little early to be talking about having children with anyone, much less a prince, but these aren't plans they're making together so much as her stating her desires for the future. That's not inappropriately forward, surely.

Then again, here he is talking about anything being possible, and she can't help but smile. ]

Maybe anything is possible. We've both got our whole lives ahead of us, we're both bright and capable people. Who's to say what we could accomplish together?

From:

hauntedking

Ah - you're right, you know.

[ All the talk about children has his heart fluttering, even if he knows that it probably couldn't happen. Could it? No matter how much he adores her, there's no way they would let him marry an orphaned commoner. Not even one from the Academy. But - but it's an nice dream, isn't it? To think he might have that freedom? And he will be king, won't he? Can't he make his own decisions? ]

There's a lot we could do. Especially once we're both out of the Academy.

[ He tries to be cheerful. ]

I'd love to have you visit, you know. See Faerghus.

From:

backstreetbard

I would love to visit, especially with you as my personal tour guide. I'm sure there are all kinds of wonderful sights you could show me. You'll be there to keep me warm if I get too cold, won't you?

[ She presses her cheek against his shoulder, letting her eyes flutter shut to focus on the feeling of the sun on her skin, on the young man in the circle of her arms, on the smell of freshly cut grass and of Dimitri.

Maybe it's inappropriate to say that kind of thing but he she doesn't care. She wants to tease him a little, to show her interest, so there's no doubt about how much she likes him. ]

Could I come to your coronation? Would I be allowed? It would be wonderful to see you crowned king.

From:

hauntedking

[ Oh. Those words make his heart race and his cheeks flush, but it's a good feeling. To be thought of in that way is intensely flattering. Even moreso when he finds himself honestly, deeply attracted to her in so many different ways. ]

I - I would certainly do my best to warm you. [ He manages to be a little daring. ]

I wouldn't want my guest to be uncomfortable or find it too cold for their liking, after all. It's... only polite.

[ He pauses and there's a short little laugh, although there's almost something sad about it. ]

Of course you would be allowed. I can't think of a reason why you wouldn't be.

[ Not if you ask him, anyway. ]

From:

backstreetbard

[ Dorothea can certainly feel her body getting a little warmer because of Dimitri's comment, though his appeal to politeness as an excuse is really adorable. She squeezes him a little tighter around the waist where her hands are resting, risking a little bit of her own daring when she nuzzles the side of his neck. The tip of her nose travels up, delicately tracing the shell of his ear, and her voice is low when she speaks next. ]

I can't imagine a more pleasant way to spend a winter than being kept warm in your arms.

[ There aren't too many ways a statement like that can be interpreted, but if he's willing to up the ante then so is she. She yearns to kiss him, but their positions on the mare's back are rather prohibitive in that regard, and the fear is still there that if she pushes too hard, she'll cause him to pull away. Garland Moon is over, and there's only so much time left in their school year to really secure his affections.

She lets up just a bit, resting her chin on his shoulder again in a way that doesn't seem too intimate. ]

I'll have to get a new dress for the event, then. Something blue, to be sure. Maybe a lovely forget-me-not blue with gold embroidery and white fur accents. I'd want you to be able to pick me out in a crowd.

From:

hauntedking

[ She really is going to be the death of him, some part of him thinks. If only because whenever she does that - whenever she is close and warm, with lips and nose pressed into his skin - he finds it almost impossible to think of anything else but her. Although that is probably the reason she does it, in all honestly. He leans back slightly against her, head half-turned to try and catch a glimpse of her. ]

I'd do my best to make sure you stayed warm. [ He replies, managing not to stutter, even if his cheeks feel flushed. He can read between the lines after all. ]

I... would hate for you to feel chilled to the bone just because you were visiting me.

[ He can't turn all the way around so he settles for giving her head a little nudge with his own before he turns his attention back to the riding. ]

I can imagine you in something like that. All elegant beauty. You'd grab more than my attention, I can tell you that. [ He adds after a moment of thought, voice a touch teasing: ] I might get a bit jealous about that. Or maybe I'd be happy to see you the center of all that attention. It's hard to say.

From:

backstreetbard

[ This... this is new. New in a pleasant, exciting way. Dorothea, ever since she joined the Mittelfrank, has become used to being the object of men's desire, always wanted but never wanting. None of the suitors who had pursued her back then had given a damn about her, but... Dimitri does. He cares about her, and he wants her enough to make these kinds of thinly-veiled comments, so obviously innuendo but delivered so earnestly. It makes her understand: this is what it feels like to be infatuated. She wants to pull him down from Molly's back so she can kiss him in the sun-warmed grass

I could never feel cold in your company. Just the sight of you fills me with warmth.

[ Releasing her hold on him briefly (an act which gives her a small heart attack), she rests her palms instead flat on his thighs. As if he wasn't already cognizant enough of her presence. ]

I don't want anyone's attention but yours. I don't want to pay attention to anyone but you. A little bit of jealousy is fine, though--it's kind of cute, actually.

From:

hauntedking

Dorothea-

[ He starts to respond and then he feels her hands smoothed out over his thighs. Even through the cloth of his riding trousers, the touch makes him stiffen - his problem from earlier is back in full force and he tries to shift his weight in an effort to hide it. He leans forward a little, face slowly reddening. ]

...I - I am glad to hear that you prize my attention so highly. And flattered that you want to pay so much thought to me. I - I want that, too. I want you to be with me for - so much longer.

From:

backstreetbard

[ Even though he's leaning away from her for reasons that don't require a genius intellect to deduce, Dimitri's declaration that he wants her to be with him for a long--if unspecified--amount of time has her taking in a soft, shuddering breath.

Her hands slide back up his hips to his waist, but they travel up farther to his chest where she wraps her arms around him. The two of them are too close for him to scoot far from her. ]

I'll stay with you as long as you'd like.

From:

hauntedking

...I think I would like that.

[ Despite how awkward he feels, on another level he's incredibly pleased and gratified to find that she seems to care for him as much as he does for her. He coaxes the mare back around - time to head home. ]

There's a lot we could do together.

From:

backstreetbard

[ In spite of how easy it would be to twist Dimitri's words into some kind of double entendre, Dorothea refrains. She's already given him enough of a hard time today, he's earned a break. For now. ]

Of course there is. [ She goes quiet for a moment, thinking of the tone of their ride so far, and wondering how serious she wants their conversation to become. But, if they're talking about their future, surely it's okay to speak plainly to him. Isn't it? She supposes this is just another way to test the waters with him. ]

I've never been involved in politics, myself, but it's no secret that I have my thoughts on the way things are run in Adrestia, at the very least. I would never presume to tell you how to lead your country, but... I've seen the very worst of society, at the edges where things fall apart. If there's any way I can help you, any advice I can give to you in the future, you know you can ask me any time.

[ Exhaling softly, she nuzzles into his shoulder again, quietly contemplative as they turn to head back toward the stables. ]

From:

hauntedking

[ It feels good to have her there, pressed against his back. Beyond his own intense attraction, it's just comforting to feel the warmth of her body and the press of her hands. ]

...I want to make the lives of my people easier. I want to help them. So... if you have any suggestions, I would want to hear them. I can't simply think that I'm the only one who knows anything. I know my limitations.

From:

backstreetbard

[ It pleases her to see how open he is to her assistance, prompting her to brush her lips softly over the nape of his neck. It almost feels too intimate, but she doesn't shy away. ]

It takes a strong man to acknowledge his limitations, though. I admire you for that. I know you'll make a wonderful king, Dima.

As far as my ideas and suggestions... perhaps we could discuss that some other time. Over tea, maybe.

From:

hauntedking

[ The brush of lips makes him shiver and he tries to turn his head to get a better look at her. There's a pleased flush across his features and his smile - his smile is as bright as its ever been. ]

I would love that. You know more about what people need than I do and if you could tell me more about that - then - then I think I'd have a good start on becoming a good king.

From:

backstreetbard

[ Dorothea meets his eyes when he turns to look back at her, and she smiles back at him with obvious desire, which she has to rein in.

As receptive as Dimitri seems to hearing her out, there's a part of Dorothea (and not a small part, at that) which dreads that conversation. She likes to be perceived in a certain way--refined and elegant, glamorous, poised and confident. There's nothing glamorous about eking out an impoverished existence on the streets. There's nothing beautiful in those experiences. Will he still like her when he knows she slept under overturned crates to stay out of the rain? When he knows how much literal garbage she's eaten to survive? Would he still want her? Maybe she can fudge the details enough to spare her own pride. Maybe. ]

You'll be a good king because you want to serve your people. That's the most important thing. You have a good heart, Dima. I know you'll do well.

[ And since he's looking back at her, she presses in to kiss his cheek this time for good measure. ]

From:

hauntedking

That... means quite a lot to hear. You've no idea.

[ He does fear his own self-control. The beast he senses roiling in his own depths. But right now the sun is shining, Dorothea is close and warm, and there's a kiss pressed to his cheek. He pauses, letting the horse find her own way back to the stables to try and get a better look at Dorothea. ]

...is it alright if I kiss you?

[ He's almost shy about it. Even if this position is a bit awkward. ]

From:

backstreetbard

[ Dorothea is obviously surprised, though pleasantly so. She'd been planning to wait until they reached the stables and dismounted to go for a kiss, but if Dimitri is proposing one, there's no way she'd say no. ]

Of course it is.

[ It requires a little bit of contortion on both of their parts, but it's only a moment before her lips are on his, petal soft but insistent. ]

From:

hauntedking

[ When she says of course he feels his heart leap and despite the relative awkwardness of their position on the horse, it still feels like the most important moment in his life. He kisses her and the feeling of her lips causes a rush. He leans into her as best he can, breath escaping in a soft sigh.

He wants this to last forever. ]

From:

backstreetbard

[ Sadly, kisses can't last forever, especially when both parties are having to strain a little to make contact because one is seated directly behind the other. Even so, it's a sweet kiss--not entirely chaste but still warm and pleasant. Her eyes flutter shut, but she opens them again in time to see that they're approaching the stables once they've rounded the bend in the trail.

Giving him one last squeeze, Dorothea pulls back and settles back into the saddle. Surely it's noteworthy enough that they would ride together like this, but any casual observer would get the picture pretty quickly if they were caught kissing. She's still not quite ready for the world to know just yet. ]

From:

hauntedking

[ Dimitri rides the rest of the way back to stables feeling like he's floating on air, a giddy smile on his face. The world seems to have opened up and the sky has blessed him with light and wamrth. It's nonsense, of course, but it feels as if he could do anything in the moment. And so whe nthey finally arrive at the stableyard, he pauses to help her dismount, giving her his hand so she can slide off of the mare's back. ]

Easy now.

[ But that smile is still there, beaming bright and clear for everyone to see. ]