Early mornings

[Eden "Lily"]

Eden was out, she needed to pick up some fabrics and threads to make herself new clothes and so she had her arms full with the bolts. The small woman had the hood of her cloak up and over her head, hiding her face as she walked with her head down. She refused to look up, refused to let anyone see her face because it always felt like people knew what she did and judged her harshly for it.

Being bumped into along the way, she wouldn't say anything, used to it since she was trying to walk as discretely as possible back to her home. Lifting her hand up to her mouth, she let out a soft yawn but the moment her eyes closed as she did, she would walk right into someone drop her bag. The girl quickly struggled to catch at least the fabric but the bed of thread and needles would hit the ground.

"Apologies! I-I'm sorry," she quickly apologized, her voice soft and timid, her head already bowing as she didn't know what else to do or if he was going to scold her for not paying better attention. 

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Sebastian had found himself with a rare day off. Well, not really a day, just the morning. He and Baird and a new friend had holed up at a local inn for drinks and a room because Baird needed a night away from home. Their new friend had too, for a while.

The older guard had wanted some time alone so the captain had graciously decided to take a walk into the market despite his general and obvious lack of need to socialize with strangers. Sebastian didn't have a problem talking to strangers but he wasn't a social person in general. The man lacked real friends for a reason. His job had him talking to a lot of people recently, however.

He wasn't going anywhere specific, simply patrolling the streets like he was any other guard before pausing at the corner of a crossroads to look over the crowd. He certainly looked the part with his well used and personalized uniform, betraying rather quickly who he was as a career guardsman. It was hard not to notice the vibrant green cloak weaving between bodies moving toward him but he didn't pay the woman any specific attention. That is, until she walked face first into him.

Sebastian was surprised. Not because it hurt but because it wasn't often that people just bumped into guardsmen even on accident. He didn't say anything to her apology, simply looking at her with his usual blank, if a slightly expectant expression, watching her collect her items.

[Eden "Lily"]

Her heart was hammering in her chest, no words were spoken to her but she could feel his eyes on her as she hid under her hood. Did she even dare to look up? What would happen if she did? Eden would crouch down in front of him, gathering her spilt supplies before daring to look up at him from under the dark green of her hooded cloak.

It didn't take a genius to notice that this man was part of the guard, she knew that much even though most of her life was spent inside a room. The pale of her cheeks took on a soft rosy pink as she gathered her items, looking away again as her head bowed while she tucked the needle and thread back into her bag.

"I'm sorry my lord...I wasn't paying attention...it won't happen again," she told him softly, her voice wavering a little bit as she spoke. That was her luck wasn't it? To run into a guardsman. Even though she knew she wouldn't= or shouldn't, get in trouble for her line of work, a part of her was always scared that she would.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

She was small enough that Sebastian more or less assumed she was a child. He hadn't needed to hear her speak to know she was a girl (it was clear from how she walked). Her speech and her withdrawn presence spoke to being a commoner, low self-esteem, shy. The lack of eye contact was beyond submissive and he suspected her of being a pickpocket.

The girl called him a 'lord' like he was nobility. He got that a lot. He talked like one(sans swear words), lived at the castle, and the captain had that expression that suggested he was ignoring everyone. And then with the waiver in her voice, Sebastian decided if she was guilty of something, it wasn't of pick-pocketing him. Probably really was her just being clumsy.

There was something...familiar about her.

"How many apologies do I need?" He folded his arms. Sebastian wasn't about to make himself more vulnerable by bending over. Guards normally moved in pairs for safety and his partner wasn't here. Best keep his gruff police exterior and let her handle it.

[Eden "Lily"]

Eden wouldn't look up at him again, tugging her hood back around her curly hair. She was trying to just get back and not be seen, to be invisible. That was easy to do most times as she wasn't someone who stood out in a crowd but she really needed to learn to walk with her head up a little more instead of staring at the space in front of her feet. Or closing her eyes while walking.

His comment though had her stammering some, warmth rising up and over her ears, "S-sorry...h-hopefully no more my Lord." she told him as she took a slight step back from him so he wouldn't think ill of her.

"If that is all, I will be on my way a-and out of your hair," she told him, daring to look up at him. Her hazel eyes though wouldn't make it past his chin though before she was tucking them back down to look at his feet so as to not irritate him. He did have a familiar vibe about him but she wasn't wanting to think were. She'd recognize the voice if he had been one of her clients but Eden wasn't going to risk it really.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

"Four times," he noted as she stammer out yet another one. Apparently, bumping into to someone was worth four words of apology. For starters, Sebastian didn't put much stock in words. However, even if he did, he doubted four were necessary. If she had managed to look him in the eye and mean it, one should have been enough. But...well, maybe four without eye contact was almost enough.

Regardless, the captain was already turning his attention elsewhere the moment the girl in the hood ducked away from him and put the whole moment from his mind. The royal guard walked through the market for a while longer before heading back to the inn and his companion to make sure the man ate breakfast and didn't try to spend the morning in bed.

[Eden "Lily"]

If she wasn't embarrassed before, she was now. Her hazel eyes would look up at him, her teeth visibly biting her lip to keep from saying another sorry but she wanted to. It was reflex at this point so it took some will power to not do so. When she could though, she was dashing away from him and taking whatever turns she could to get back to the brothel without him seeing which way she went- hoping he just didn't care about a mouse of a girl.

Back home, she would place her items away, pushing her hood down to let her curly hair fall around her face as she was placing everything in her trunk for later. Once she had, Eden would pull out a pouch that she carried coin and the letters she got from her friends inside. She needed to check the inn to see if there were any letters today. Tying off the pouch around her slender waist, she would leave once more.

It was day time so no customers for her at least. Eden would go off to the inn, wearing the same clothes and pulling her hood up again until she entered the inn. Eden would let it slide down some to show her face better but she barely was looking up as she was heading to the counter, bumping into someone again , "Sorry," she squeaked out as she made her way to the counter, lifting up on her tiptoes some to wait for some help.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Baird was still asleep and snoring when Sebastian returned to the inn. He nudged the man gently with his boot to his side and earned some unintelligible grumblings that were not, in fact, words. He hadn't had that much to drink for him to be so out of it. Must have been all the other stress of the evening. "Baird. Wake up," he ordered, pausing a moment with his arms folded, not really expecting an answer.

He got more snoring.

Sebastian pursed his lips and then gently lifted one side of the stuffed mattress and dumped the man a foot down onto the floor. There was a startled half shout as he fell and then a groan as he landed. "Goddammit! You ass!"

At least those words were understandable. So he wasn't having nearly that bad of a hangover and was just tired. Sebastian felt like a little bit of an ass. But not by much.

"Captain, what the hell?" Baird tried to disentangle himself from the sheets and pick himself up off the floor at the same time and only succeeded in falling on his ass again. Sebastian smiled. Okay, now he felt like a little bit more of an ass, but it was funny. "Wha' time is it?"

A quick glance at the window would tell him it was early, the sky still soft pastels, the sun not high enough to poke over the buildings. "Early."

Baird managed to extract himself successfully on the second attempt. "Is the town under attack?"

"No," Sebastian replied, humoring him.

"Then why on earth do I need to be awake?"

"Breakfast."

"Breakfast?" The guard intoned back as if in shock. "When do you care about breakfast?"

Sebastian sighed. "I do not care. You asked me to wake you up for pancakes." Remember? Was this what having a kid was like? It seemed close enough.

"Right! That's right! Pancakes! The innkeeper said his wife makes the best pancakes. It's been ages since I had any." He pulled himself out of bed and made himself presentable. Maybe next time, Sebastian would lead with pancakes.

Downstairs once again, Baird had made himself at home at the bar top with a plate full of pancakes and the captain was leaning with his back to the counter, watching the man munch through breakfast, his only hint of emotion a slightly amused raised eyebrow. The other guard was happily holding up an entire conversation about breakfast foods and his wife and his kids and his syrup preferences all by himself while Sebastian looked on when someone bumped his elbow.

Sebastian was up from the bar in an instant with a smooth, confident motion and the air of a man who was more than prepared to end a fight before someone started one with him. And then Sebastian saw the same verdant green cloak and heard the voice. It didn't do anything to calm him down in the moment, the reflex not one he could easily smother after a lifetime of violence.

"Five," he growled as he struggled to breathe and convince his body there was no reason to overreact. Just a stupid girl who didn't watch were she was going. Nothing to be upset over. Twice was coincidence, after all.

Baird had gone silent and was watching the girl now too.

[Eden "Lily"]

There were many ways to make her want to run away and hide, this was one of them, the fact that she was some how unlucky enough to bump into the same man twice. Her stomach knotted as she would turn her head and look up at him this time, worry clearly written on her face. Why was he here? Why did she have to bump into him again? Eden wanted to crawl under a rock now and never leave home.

"I-I..." she stammered, not even sure what to say right now because automatically she wanted to apologize again but he was counting them. A weird hobby of his? Slight enjoyment of making people squirm?

"I just came to see if they had any letters for me today I didn't mean to bump into you twice," she said in a small rush, mostly trying to explain why she was here and that she was in fact not following him- heck she had left before he did so she had no idea where he had gone but why the same tavern? The extra set of eyes on her though made her withdraw into herself even more, pulling her hood back up and over her auburn hair. She was trying to remain unnoticed and unknown outside of her 'home' and she was only trying to keep it that way here.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Her stammering and clear flight reaction to fear helped him calm down. Not worth the trouble. Just another reason people sort of annoyed the man. Nothing personal, just life. He hardly paid attention to her babbling. She lived here. He had rented a room here. He was starting to wonder if the girl was visually impaired. She certainly wasn't doing a very good job of not bumping into him. But maybe she did it all the time. Maybe this was normal. Either way, Sebastian shrugged it off again.

"How many..." Baird paused, searching for a word and seemed unable to find it. "...tiny friends do you have in this town?" He asked Sebastian none too quietly. Tiny? Why tiny? He supposed she was small. And Ronan was small. But why... Oh. The captain understood Baird had been attempting the word petite as an exotic pet name. Not that the captain should know any Tresterian either.

Sebastian turned his unamused stare on the other guard. "None. Eat your fancy pancakes," he grumbled softly, settling himself back against the bar.

Was she following him? The idea was starting to enter into his mind, but it was more of less unconscious.

[Eden "Lily"]

The other many calling her tiny made her almost smile and laugh, she was small and knew it though friend of this man? Hardly, she was just having a bad luck day and just kept running into him as if the universe was having some sort of a laugh on the anxious girl. "I don't...know him...just haven't been paying attention well enough today," she told the other man as she listened to what sounded like a tease from the scarier fellow.

she would though move to the counter, not having her attention on the men for a moment, "Do I have any letters today?" she inquired to the man behind the counter who went off to look.

Did she dare even ask him a question? He seemed like he didn't care much about anything but she had ran into him twice and maybe it would be best if she knew who this man is, "I'm sorry to ask but uhm…who are you? Just to put a name to the face is all," she asked, her voice shaking a little as she managed to ask the question. Her heart was pounding in her chest though and making her breath come in a little quicker but she tried to not look as anxious as she felt.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

"Ya know you could order yerself some 'fancy pancakes,'" Baird pointed out, implying the captain was jealous. Maybe he was a little, but he'd already had breakfast and couldn't afford to go for a second round. A coffee might be a good idea though. Something to distract himself.

"Only if you are buying."

Baird snorted. "What, do I look like I'm made o'money?"

Sebastian raised his eyebrow at his friend. Who exactly bought all the drinks last night again? was the thought.

"Alright, alright, I'll buy my own breakfast next time," Baird amended without any further prodding. He would. Probably.

The pair had entirely moved on from the brush with the young girl and it surprised both of them faintly to hear her speak to them again. The captain turned to look at her, hiding under her hood. He spent enough time hunting people and fighting that he could tell she was anxious. The shaking voice was a dead give away. He didn't answer for a long moment.

Someone who would very much like to be left alone, despite what Fate seemed to have intended for him and the girl in green. "Doesn't matter," he said and then cut a glance at Baird who immediately snapped his mouth shut on a comment that would have inevitably invited more conversation than the younger man wanted.

[Eden "Lily"]

It was a little entertaining just hearing the banter go back and forth between the two men, sounded similar to brothers with how it was gong between them.

Eden had wanted to know who he was, he seemed important in some fashion but she hadn't a clue but his clipped remark had her turning her gaze from him and then going back to the owner who was coming back with a small parcel for her. "Thank you," she told him softly as she pulled out a coin from a small purse that she tucked back away.

Holding the box against her as she looked back at the man and gave a small nod, "Make it six then...sorry, h-have a good day my lords," she told him as she would turn away and start to leave once more, holding the package tightly with her chin resting on it. She was wondering what was inside it, that had her smiling actually and made her seem brighter but only if seen past the cloak.

[Sebastian Arcturis]

Sebastian wasn't sure what to make of the woman's compulsion to speak to him simply because she kept bumping into him. Why did she need a name for his face? Why didn't she give him hers then? The man didn't speak very much because he didn't understand the need to. With those he had business or with a few friends, certainly, but a stranger whom he didn't give a third thought to?

Well, now she was making him think about it. Which was annoying. Still, not annoying enough.

Baird seemed to find her quite charming. "You too, my fair lady!" He called as if he didn't have a wife. The older man watched the green cloak leave and then turned back to his companion. "You know, she's-"

"I do not care that she is cute."

"I knew it. You do think she is cute." The man returned to his food.

Sebastian sighed. He didn't understand people at all.

--

He wanted to return to the city, but Baird seemed to be enjoying his mini vacation and suggested they take the scenic route. Which really mean Baird chatting up locals and Sebastian stalking after the man with his arms crossed and looking tolerably bored.

They paused at this shop and that cart and for that traveler. Baird called it being friendly, checking in with the commonfolk, and Sebastian supposed that was all well and good for guards to do. He just knew for a fact it wasn't a job he was personally good at. Their current stop was a flower vender and the captain half expected the other guardsman might buy some. Nominally for his wife, though the flowers likely wouldn't last the trip and it was all just to be a good person.

What had he said about not being made of money? Still, guards earned more than most.

[Eden "Lily"]

Eden had stopped some when the other gentleman called out to her and she would dip into a small but proper curtsy to him, a slight smile poking out a bit more before she left to finish the rest of her days tasks before her nightly ones began.

--

She had been back to the tavern, dropping off letters and purchasing a bottle of sweet wine for herself and placing it in a basket. With it being later in the day and warmer, she would let he hood slip from her head but her gaze was still low to the ground as she slipped in and around people and only stopping on occasion to see if she needed the item or not.

Eden would find herself at the flower stand, her soft voice calling out for a mixed bouquet of pink and white flowers and she would pass over a couple of coins to the man who would get that going. As she waited though, she would look off to the side and her cheeks would inflame as her head went down.

Why oh why was he here? Was he following her instead? Eden now tried to slink around and out of view, wishing she had switched out cloaks or something so that she didn't look obvious but heck, running into this man three times made her anxious as hell.

"Here you go miss,"
"Th-thank you sir,"

Eden said softly, hoping her voice wasn't caught as she took the bundle of flowers, carefully placing them into her basket so that she wouldn't damage the petals and in her haste to get away, she stepped on the hem of her cloak and stumbled into the man whom she had run into thrice now today but instead of sorry, she was now just trying to scurry off- nope no more sorries today!