IT SEEMS TO NEVER END [CARMILUSHA/MATHAYUS]

[Lusha je D'caarre]

Note: The first six posts of this thread are of Carmine Haerow and Lusha je D'caarre's journey to Baron Mathayus Emas' estate in the City of Karenth.

Lusha couldn't get her mind off the hug, as she walked on alongside Carmine. Since they had come into land that was familiar to her she could easily walk through the wild with hardly any thought at all. She's seen these woods and she's seen the animals that lie within it. Honestly, many of the animals knew her well, also. She smiled toward Carmine, "I think I know where we could go for rest, so that we can relax for the night or so..." She looked away before adding, "So you can rest before you head back to Carthonia if you wanted to... It would probably be a while though due to the activities that happened at the Peace Conference." She only assumed this, but based on the chaos she didn't think she was far off.

Carmine didn't know where the heck he was, but he trusted Lusha. He worried about Lord Sylph, but he figured the nobleman had probably gotten out pretty quickly. At least, he hoped so. In any case, it wouldn't do any good to dwell on it. Maybe he could get a letter back to him at some point... Who knew what that would be, though. "I could go back to Carthonia, but... well; I have always wanted to visit Niendra. I think the... landscapes would inspire many paintings." He grinned, thinking to himself that he also wanted to just spend more time with her, but he wasn't about to admit that. He'd only known the girl for a little while.

"Well, where we will be going will have plenty of landscape," she smiled at Carmine. And there would be, she was heading toward the City of Karenth, her Uncle Mat and his family had a home there and she knew that if he was not with the boys in the army he would most definitely be home. And his family had enough respect for Lusha, seeing as how she was a noble soldier for the army, to let her in if she asked to see Sir Mathayus. She knew they had a beautiful home, because out of kindness the Emas family hosted dinner and invited the Je D'caarre family. "I have a feeling you'll make Niendra look much more beautiful than it really is, in your paintings, though."

Carmine laughed and shoved Lusha playfully. "You... flatter me," he said with a grin. Just from being around her and talking all the time, he was beginning to pick up more of the Niendran language, but there were still words that he didn't use often that he had to think about to pick the right one. "Anyway, where are we going?"

Lusha laughed a little. She was pleased that her Carthonian friend was picking up on the Niendran language much better... Though she worried if they came across anyone of his heavy Carthonian accent, maybe she's stick with doing all the talking if that was to occur. "I figured the best place to go was Baron Emas' home, I know his and daughter fairly well." She smiled, "Mathayus and I are in the Niendran army with one another and he knows of my secret, so I thought that would be the safest place for both of us right now..." She laughed, knowing that the Emas were strong people and they wouldn't like her bringing a Carthonian in to the home... though, hopefully she could think of an easy plan before they arrived. She didn't want to take Carmine to her home because they would assume too much into her bringing home a man... no matter where he's from.

"A baron, huh? Well, if you say we can trust them, then that is good enough for me." If she could trust this Mathayus person with her secret, that was saying something. He wondered what they would be like. He had only met a handful of noblemen in his life, mostly through his master, and they didn't usually seem to like him, except Lord Sylph of course, but he figured that Sylph was rather unusual. "You must do very well for yourself, being able to rub elbows with barons and such," he said teasingly.

With a quiet laugh she spoke, "Yes, well, it wasn't the best way to meet him, but he's also a member of my family so it was either get along or create yet another family feud." She laughed, nervously. She didn't really like bringing up her family, but he should know a little about them since he would be taking refuge there for a while... Hopefully, Mat wouldn't be too pissed... or he'd understand, at least. "His older sister married my father because she was pregnant with his child, over the time they grew close so even though they lost the child they stayed together because they had grown feelings." She smiled toward the taller man as she spoke.

"Oh, wow, so he is your..." he paused, trying to figure it out in his head and get the right word, "step-uncle, then? So you are... indirectly related to nobility? How interesting!" The subject of family was one that intrigued him particularly, and the topic got him rambling about his own upbringing. "I was an only child, raised by my mother. My father was a sailor but he died before I was born. Before he had a chance to marry my mother, even. She always taught me to treat women with respect." He scratched the back of his head, realizing he was rambling a bit. "A-anyway, that is why I find large families... fascinating."

Lusha just smiled as Carmine went on and on about his family. She appreciated his rambling; it also gave her insight to the kind of person Carmine was and his family. He was such a genuine person, and she assumed that it had to do a little bit with how his mother had raised him. "Large families can be entertaining, I suppose..." In all honestly Lusha loved her family, but without her twin brother it was never the same with them.

She didn't seem to mind him going on and on about things, which he appreciated. His fellow apprentices had often just told him to shut up. And actually, painting and drawing had often been an outlet to express himself when they did so. "I always wanted a sibling to play with when I was a kid. I would have taken them down to the shore to play in the surf and collect seashells and make sand-castles together. Still, it was fun enough doing those things by myself. I spent a lot of time near the ocean. Have you ever been to the ocean?"

[Carmine Rihl Haerow]

"My siblings and I were a bit more... forceful with one another," she laughed. She remembered how she and her twin brother would pair up with one another while all the other boys in the family would go against them. They would hide and tackle one another, but somehow she and her brother always one against the older brothers. They had a large yard, and a bunch of trees to romp around in, so they went crazy. Other than playing, she and her brother would groom their horses in the stables and play with their pudu. "My brother and I were always in our stables, we never really went to the ocean...” At least not from what she remembered...

"Stables, huh? A horse stepped on my foot once. I tend to stay away from them after that," he said with a sheepish grin. At the mention of never having gone to the ocean, Carmine looked straight at Lusha and gasped melodramatically. "You have to visit the ocean at least once in your life! Maybe we can go to an ocean somewhere on the coast of Niendra. Well, if we get a chance..."

She smiled, "My father sold the stables along with our horses because we couldn't keep up with them anymore. My mother used to take care of them, then my brother and I started too, but we got older and didn't have enough time." She was in deep thought now, "But we have a little shed in our back yard for our pudu. They are like tiny deer." She smiled, thinking it would be kind of neat for Carmine to see a pudu for himself; and Bali was a doll. She grinned up at him, "It would be cool to go to the ocean..."

The mention of an animal unfamiliar to him piqued his interest. "A... pudu? I've never heard of that before." Talking with Lusha so much was making him more comfortable with the language and its conventions, though he still had quite an accent. "A tiny deer... That would be cute to see." He smiled at the idea of Lusha finally seeing an ocean. "You would love it. The water goes out as far as the eye can see, right on to the horizon where it meets the sky. On a clear day, the sun is so bright it makes the water sparkle. And the sound of the waves crashing over each other is so soothing, it's like nothing can touch you out there..." He almost lost himself in the reverie, a distant but pleasant smile on his face.

"It is, it's one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen." She smiled before adding, "My brother found a pregnant one and she was so large because of her bulge. He nurtured her so she was in a safer environment to birth her child; he even helped her in the labor process..." She smiled remembering watching her brother help the small pudu as if he had done that kind of thing several times. "It was fascinating, and we couldn’t bare to let the beautiful creature back in the wild so we decided to keep them both." She smiled, pausing for a moment before he began talking about the ocean. "It sounds amazing."

He grinned like a little boy, hearing her talk about the pudu’s. "That must have been wonderful. I never had anything like a pet... except once I brought a crab home in a bucket of water, but my mother made me take it back." He chuckled a little at the memory, and then accidentally tripped over his own feet as he was walking, falling onto his hands and knees.

Lusha had been in lala land while Carmine was talking, listening to his words and trying to imagine him being a little child and doing that. She giggled at his memory, before she heard him scuffle and fall. She turned quickly and knelt beside him, a smile on her face, stifling a laugh at his clumsiness. "Are you all right?"

Carmine laughed at himself, sitting up on his knees and wiping the dirt off his hands. "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he said with a little shake of his head and a grin. As he began to stand up, however, something on the ground caught his eye. It was a rock of some sort, or perhaps a gem, the way it seemed to sparkle in the light. "Hello, what's this?" He picked it up, and as it came into contact with his skin, it began to glow rather brightly. He brought up a hand to shield his eyes. "Whoa!"

Lusha stood beside Carmine as he did so. Though as he found an interesting stone she was about to question why he would pick it up, but then as if he was creating magic the stone began to glow. How was he doing that? "How the...?" He voice broke of as she continued to watch the glow of the stone, so bright she had to squint her eyes to see.

Squinting against the light, he closed both hands over the stone so its glow couldn't be seen, then looked over at Lusha, giving her a look of disbelief. What kind of a rock was this? Then he looked back at his hands, opening them slightly, to see if the thing still gave off light. It did. He closed his fingers over it again and cocked his head at Lusha. "What do you think it is? Should I keep it?"

Lusha thought for a moment before she spoke, "I'm not sure what it is..." She laughed before she thought of a little joke, which was quite obvious with the situation. "Some kind of light stone, perhaps?" She giggled. She stood silent for a little while before she decided, "I'd probably hold on to it... to find out what it is..."

Carmine blinked at his hands curiously. "I guess. I've never seen anything like it before. How exciting!" If there was one thing he liked, it was adventure, and this certainly was turning out to be quite the little adventure, travelling to another country, finding a strange glowing rock. "You want to hold it? Okay." He opened his hands, squinting a little, and placed the stone in her hand. It continued to give off light just as brightly as before.

[Lusha je D'caarre]

The girl couldn't believe her eyes, it still shown bright in her as, as it had in his. Was she too, magic...? Or was this stone magic? The girl was bewildered, and blind, as she squinted to look at the stone. "I just don't understand," she smiled. It was a fascinating thing, this stone, but she honestly wished she knew more of it. "How remarkable," she muttered as she spun the stone around in her hands.

The painter grinned at Lusha as she looked at the stone. She was so cute, the way her eyes lit up in fascination. He blushed a little when he caught himself thinking that, and stuck one hand in his pocket.

She looked up at Carmine, a smile on her face, squinting as the light was bright. She could barely see him with the light shining in her face, but she moved the hand with the glowing stone in her hand towards him. "It's amazing."

The stone's light was so white and pure; it cast its glow over Lusha's features and made her seem almost ethereal. Cheeks pink, he nodded at her comment and took the stone back, closing it in his fingers and putting the hand in his other pocket. "I think I'll keep it! Although the way it puts off light, maybe we should stop and get something to keep it in somewhere."

She smiled once again before he closed the light and put the stone in his pocket, it took a moment for her eyes to adjust to the natural light. Lusha bit the bottom of her lip before she spoke, "It would probably be best to get something for it, definitely, or else it'll blind everyone who gets to see it." She laughed softly before she started walking again.

- - - - - -

They had travelled a good distance in a few days on their way to Karenth. Thought it seemed to be taken longer, but they had to stop for some food and a bag for the stone that Carmine had found. Of course, they looked around for a little while before they started on their journey to the Emas home. They had walked a good distance from the town when Lusha heard a group of people coming loudly on behind them. When they quickly came into view they stopped and talked for a moment. Gypsies. She'd seen them before but never really this close and personal... She had always tried to avoid them. But they were heading to a town close to Karenth and Lusha had an idea, "Do you think you could give us a ride there? We're heading one town over, but once we get to your destination, my friend and I can walk the rest of the way?"

Travelling was so much more fun when you had someone to talk to. He and Lusha had talked about everything under the sun, it seemed, but they still found things to talk about. And he didn't even bore her with his rambling! Sure, he got tired walking all day, but it was a good feeling to fall asleep at night after a long day. And now, as he patted the bag tied to his belt that contained the light stone, he saw another exciting sight: gypsies! And Lusha was asking to hitch a ride with them! He could have danced on the spot.

One of the men in the band of gypsies turned at Lusha's question and looked her up and down. A soldier type, from the looks of it, he thought. But the soldier's companion looked entirely different, a tall commoner if he judged rightly. An odd pair, and travel-worn. The gypsy grinned. "If you've got coin, I'm sure we can come to some arrangement."

Another gypsy looked at her fellow and smiled, "Ah, yes... We wouldn't mind giving you a lift if you have coin...." The gypsy had a mischievous look on her face that seemed to mirror the others' expression easily. "We have to make one stop along the way for a show... Maybe you folks can join us?" She looked at the other gypsy as if to make sure it was okay.

Lusha couldn't help but smile at them for agreeing to give them a lift, even if they had to pay a price. Luckily Lusha had enough coins to pay their fair... Wait, did she hear the female gypsy correctly? Did they really want Carmine and her to join in on their... show?

"You mean, be in the show with you?" Carmine could hardly contain his excitement, shifting from one foot to the other and back, almost hopping. That would be so much fun! He was so glad he had left Ruseuyn. He had gotten a commission from Lord Sylph, met Lusha, travelled to Niendra, and now he was going to hang out with gypsies of all things!

The gypsy winked at his mate. What a good suggestion. These two would be quite amusing in a show. "If you'd be willing."

Lusha matched the expression on their faces, "Mmm. We'll considering doing the show with you..." She smiled wickedly at the gypsies, "If you'll consider letting that be our pay for taking a ride from you." She crossed her arms, and put a firm look on her face so they would know that she was business.... She almost didn't notice that one of the gypsies had moved in close to her and was mumbling to her partner.

"This one would be great for the female role, even though he's male." She moved her hand to the soldiers face hesitantly before she placed a hand on the soldier’s cheek, moving the head to look at the feminine bone structure and features of the male before her. "What do you think?" She looked at her mate... Maybe he would answer the soldiers question...

Carmine's grin was goofy and boyish, like a little kid being let outside to play. Heck, he would pay just to get the chance to rub elbows with these people, since he had the money, but he let Lusha do her thing. She was cute when she was calculating like that. He didn't really notice what the gypsy woman was saying.

The man stroked his chin thoughtfully, a glimmer in his eye. This one was shrewd, and he liked that. "If your performance is good, that may be allowable. But if it's bad, and we don't make much that night, you will have to pay us for the ride." He chuckled at his mate's comments, casting an eye over the soldier's form. "I do think you're right. Maybe we should make the show a romantic comedy."

The female gypsy's eyes glimmered as she looked at her mate, "Ah Zander, that sounds fantastic!" She looked back at the soldier, taking her hand of his cheek as she gracefully walked to her mate with a smile on her face. "Maybe we could try the one idea you had with the clumsy lovers who fail at expressing themselves..." She giggled as she looked back at the two, "I think they work well for that part."

Lusha eyed them. "I assure you, if we are good I hold you to your word. And if we are not, you can hold me to mine and we will pay you for the ride." She nodded and threw her hand out to the man in agreement. A firm grip waiting for the man, so he knew that Lusha was true to her word. She was resisting the smile that slowly curled the corner of her mouth.

[Carmine Rihl Haerow]

Carmine was glad their little negotiations were going so well, but he blushed when the woman mentioned her idea for the show. She didn't intend for the two of them to play the principle roles, did she? Of course, Lusha was cute and all, but to play a romantic couple... he wasn't sure how he felt about that.

Zander smiled and shook Lusha's hand, a firm grip for such a small soldier, he noted. It would be fun getting him to play a girl. The audience would enjoy it, too, he was sure. "Deal." Then he turned to his mate and put an arm around her waist, a mischievous grin on his face. "Sounds like a plan, Adelara."

Adelara smiled as Zander pulled her into him, "Sounds delicious." The look on her face would have been deadly if she didn't look like such a beautiful human. She smiled and winked at the two friends, before she kissed Zander on the cheek. One could tell she was quite excited that these two agreed to do a show. Oh the things she planned on doing with these two.

Lusha didn't like the look on their faces, but she went along with the deal anyhow. She looked over at Carmine with a smile on her face, "Looks like we have a ride, and a show in our future."

. . .

They'd stopped right outside a town that night, and as night began to fall, the gypsies started setting up the little stage that folded out of their caravan. Zander and Adelara had run the gist of the play through with Carmine and Lusha, but Carmine was still feeling quite nervous about the whole thing. They didn't have to memorize many lines, basically just going with the flow and ad-libbing, but he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. Hopefully Adelara, who was going to play the narrator, would steer things along. He was good with a pencil or a brush, but an actor he was not.

Setting up the stage with Zander and a few extra gypsies that would be dancing in the background while she narrated was the easy part of the night. Having Lusha actually dress up as a girl was a fight... but the soldier ended up agreeing with her in the end anyway. Adelara was standing out back waiting for Lusha to come out in her outfit for the show, and when the boy emerged wearing Adelera's prettiest clothing, her mouth went agape as she looked at the... girl? "Wow! You look fantastic! I knew my clothing would look fabulous on you, darling." She could tell Lusha was nervous.

Nervous didn't even describe the way Lusha felt. She felt sick, but she was going to go through with this... She felt like she had to. Plus, Carmine was so excited... and his excitement kind of made her excited... "Let’s get this over with Adelara."

Townspeople were gathering around the stage now, anticipating a show. Carmine could hear them chattering as he stood backstage. Peeking out, he saw a little crowd, and ducked his head back in quickly, turning to go out the back way and see if Lusha had finished changing yet. Apparently she had. Seeing Lusha in a dress, done up like a girl for once, made Carmine's jaw drop. She looked even prettier than usual, though he hadn't really thought that possible. "You look, uh, you look..." Oh geeze, he couldn't even think of words for himself, how was he going to remember his lines?

Zander's head appeared in the doorway. "We're ready to get started!"

"It was on a night, much like this, that two beings fell in love. One, a beautiful woman," Adelara spread her arm over to the direction of Lusha as he entered the stage in a fluid manner. "And the other, a strong man." She smiled as she waved her arm over to Carmine, who entered with grace and masculinity. As they danced in the front of the group, the other gypsies dancing behind them in a similar motion, Zander began playing some kind of exotic music to the beat and abruptly stop. "These two souls collided with one another, and fell to their loving demise," Adelara stifled a laugh as the drum rapped once as Carmine and Lusha crashed against each other gently at the chest, and gracefully fell to the ground. "As their souls floated," Adelara waved her hands over her head as the two dancers stood and moved in the same motion of her arms, "To the heaven, they collided once again, and became one..." The gypsy smiled as Carmine and Lusha wrapped their arms around each other. "At this moment, these two star-crossed lovers were able to whisper their last words before they disappeared..."

Lusha looked into Carmine, heavily breathing against him, as she stood there so close to him. Adelara looked over at Zander and mouthed the words as Lusha said them so softly, "I love you." Lusha looked up at Carmine, a slight smile on her face, her eyes were deep as she stood there breathing and looking up at Carmine... (Was this for effect? What a since of humor that Adelara had...)

Quite frankly, Carmine was amazed he hadn't botched the whole thing by now, or at least had some minor slip-up, but apparently when you were supposed to crash into someone it wasn't that hard to do. All out of breath from the 'dancing', he felt both giddy and nervous as he looked at Lusha, heard her say her line, and his face went as red as his name. "I--" he started, his voice squeaking, and then he cleared his throat and practically shouted, "ILOVEYOU!" Oh gods, how embarrassing...

Adelara smiled as their small curtain fell before the stage, ending the show. Leaving the audience to believe that their souls had floated away... Either together or apart. The gypsy ran to Carmine and Lusha and hugged them both. "You two were fantastic!"

[Lusha je D'caarre]

Lusha was still blushing from the moment she had to say her line, but after Carmine had practically shouted his blush was even brighter. She hugged Adelara in return as a way to cover her blushing, and then she excused herself rather quickly to go change back into her clothing. Luckily the gypsy had offered her an old plain shirt of hers in place of the shirt she had ripped during the peace conference to use as a bandage for Carmine. She tried to calm her nerves as she changed her clothes.

Zander stood in front of the stage with a hat held out in front of him, gathering money from the townspeople, a grin on his face. If the rapid increase in weight of his hat was any indication, the show had been quite the hit.

Carmine, face still red as a beet, hugged Adelara in a bit of a silly daze. Lusha went off quickly to go get changed, and although he understood her haste to get out of girl's clothes lest she be found out, he was a little disappointed. However, that didn't put a damper on his mood. "That was fun," he said, a lop-sided grin on his face. "A little scary, but fun!"

Lusha finally finished getting dressed and made her way back to Carmine and Adelara. She couldn't find the tie she had used on her hair so as of that moment her hair was down along one side of her shoulder when she made her way back, "My hair is too long... Do you have a tie Adelara?" She smiled shortly at Carmine before she looked back at the gypsy as she handed her a string. "Will that work sir?" Lusha nodded before she began putting her hair up in a pigtail at the nape of her neck. "Thank you." She waited a moment before she looked at Carmine and then back to Adelara just for her eyes to betray her and jump back to Carmine... "So, how did the audience like us?"

When Lusha came back, Carmine couldn't help but keep his gaze glued to the girl. After seeing her dressed like a girl, it seemed that was all he could think of. Geeze, what was he doing? They were just friends... right? He was glad it was nearly dark out. Maybe that would help to hide the fact that he was blushing profusely. "I uh, I think they liked us pretty well."

Zander came walking around the caravan toward them, holding up the now-full hat of coins proudly. "You two were great! You sure you don't want to join us and become full-time actors?" he asked, with a wink to show he was teasing.

Lusha looked at the hat and laughed slightly, "It was pleasurable." She said, though she still seemed a little shook up by the events of the night. She nodded her head with a smile at Zander. She laughed, biting her lip, before she looked at Zander questioningly. "So I guess we get off free?" She laughed, holding to the deal. Honestly she kind of wanted to get out of there, despite the fun they had.

Adelara wrapped her arms around Zander's waste. "Looks like we're eating well tonight," she laughed before she looked at Lusha and Carmine then back to her mate.

Zander laughed good-naturedly, putting his arm around his mate and hugging her close. "Of course. We may be gypsies, but we always hold up our end of a bargain. You're not going to skip off on us right now, though, are you?" He gave the soldier a mock pouty face before laughing again.

Carmine looked at Lusha. She seemed a little nervous about something, even though they had finished the play. He wasn't sure how to ask her about it, though, and he wasn't about to do it in front of the two gypsies. He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment when his stomach rumbled at Adelera’s mention of food. "Heheh..."

"If I am persuaded well enough I may consider staying a little longer," she laughed jokingly. Though, she had kind of wished she could disappear right now. From it all. She was so uncomfortable now...

Adelara giggled at the growling of Carmine's stomach and then she looked up at her fellow gypsy.. She nodded her head in their direction, asking him a silent question... Almost as if they had their own language with one another. She placed her hand on his chest as she leaned into him.

Lusha looked over at Carmine. She couldn't help but laugh, though she had tried to resist the urge. She was rather hungry as well, but she really kind of wanted to be out of this awkward feeling she was having.

Zander leaned his head on his mate's, tickling her waist playfully, before he grinned at Carmine and Lusha. "You should join us for dinner. After all, you've earned it."

The painter thought that sounded like a good idea and smiled. "That would be great!" Then he looked over at Lusha, and had second thoughts. She certainly didn't seem to be in her element here. Maybe she would rather they go on now, so as to get to her step-uncle's sooner. "Well, if that's all right with Lusha. I mean, we do still have a ways to go and all..."

Adelara giggled as her waist was tickled. "You should join us," she smiled, wriggling around, "That would be great.

Lusha smiled kindly to the group, and she knew that she couldn't go one without resting or eating. She wasn't about to make Carmine suffer through all that either. "I don't mind," she said with a kind smile, though her eyes probably deceived her. They did need food, and they were going to need to find a place to crash before they got back to walking their way to Karenth. They were still a few days away at least. Lusha smiled at Carmine, her eyes changing, but she seemed to still be struggling with the situation.

[Carmine Rihl Haerow]

Zander swung the hat 'round in a circle happily. "Great!" He turned, steering Adelara toward a tavern, where they would spend their money on a feast for all the gypsies and their two friends.
Carmine followed a little behind, still looking at Lusha. He lagged back a little to talk to her out of ear-shot. "What's wrong? We don't really have to, if you don't want. I've still got plenty of money left from my commission; I can get us whatever we need."

Lusha looked over at Carmine, her eyes genuine, a smile on her face. He was a good friend, showing he cared... She was merely a bit nervous, she didn't want them getting any ideas that maybe she possibly was a girl disguised as a soldier... She didn't know these people from Lilith and she didn't want to give them any ideas. Heck, she didn't even want them to figure it out... She was already nervous enough with two people knowing, even though one of them was family. "I'm just afraid they may start asking questions or try to pry something out of us..." she spoke softly, "I wasn't very comfortable... looking like a girl, when I am a girl, but not acting as one..." She felt weird speaking of this, but she trusted Carmine, and she was comfortable with him.

Carmine put an arm around her and gave her a sideways hug. "I think it'll be all right. And if they start asking too many questions, we can just leave. You just tell me if you feel uncomfortable, all right?" He smiled at a new thought. "Hey, all this time I've spent with you has really done wonders for my Niendran, hasn't it?" He still had a slight accent, but it wasn't nearly as obvious as before.

She smiled, half-hugging him back as they continued to follow the gypsies. "Thank you," she smiled. And for some reason she wanted to give him a light peck on the cheek, but she did not. She laughed, "Your Niendran has gotten better my dear Carthonian friend." She had whispered those words in a light feathery laugh, to make sure no other Niendran could hear... One never knows when there is an angry Niendran about.

Lusha gave a soft giggle at Carmine, who seemed to always be excited, smiling, or just genuinely happy. She always found herself smiling about those moments.

[Lusha je D'caarre]

Lusha and Carmine had been traveling for so long; though, she could practically see the Emas estate coming in to view. She was so excited when they came to the front gate and they let her in instantly. She had been pulling Carmine along with her the whole time, since they had been getting closer, running her mouth about moments she and Mathayus had shared with one another. She pushed past the biggest house on the estate. She looked over at the big house, the Emas home, and looked back at Carmine warily. Sure, Lusha was leading him to Baron Emas’ home, but she was taking him to Baron Mathayus Emas, the son, and her step uncle. He was his own man now, and because of that he had moved into a smaller estate on his father’s land just a few miles past the main house.

If one understood why she felt giddy and anxious, the expression on her face would make much more sense than it did now. Their pace had quickened now that they were closer and within several minutes they had walked the distance from the main house to Mat's. Lusha respected Mat, she looked up to him. He was kind to her and his friends, though he had a tendency to let his temper control him. That was one of the reasons she was worried about Carmine being with her... she wasn't sure how Mat would respond to him... or to her for that matter, for bringing the Carthonian on his family's land.

As she and Carmine came to the door, Lusha placed her hand on the door and rapped against it a few times before she stood waiting for someone to answer. She smiled at the short quaint lady who answered the door, the woman recognized her instantly. "Sir Lusha, so grand to see you again," she opened the door wider beckoning for her and her friend to come in, "Come in, come in." The lady smiled at the soldier and moved on through the house with Carmine and Lusha following. "Shall I offer you the amenities? Drink? Food?" The woman kept rambling on before she remembered why Lusha was probably there... "Oh my! I shall go get Baron Emas, now."

The quaint lady was off before Lusha could even say a single thing. Lusha led Carmine into a large room with chairs placed about and some books on shelves. She remembered telling Mat this was her favorite room, and she always insisted on being in here when they were together. Most of the help in this house also knew this... so in hardly an amount of time she expected her step uncle to barge through those doors and welcome her into his house, yet again. Only she had a feeling this visit would be slightly different because of the Carthonian friend she had made at the not-so-peaceful Peace Conference....

She made herself right at home as she piled into a chair, pushing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She smiled nervously at Carmine, then stared at the doors waiting for her blond friend.

Note: I'm sorry for the power-playing there a bit, but I just wanted to make it clear that she and Carmine were both in the house and all that. So pretty much it was her dragging him along like a little puppy in this part... Okay, no not really, but you get the picture.

[Mathayus Numair Emas]

Mindless this, mindless that, the tall blond fell on the bed staring up at the ceiling for what seemed the hundredth time just today.He needed something to do, staying in this little house was so annoying to the man. It was just so small and empty, well save for a few random visitors and people his mother would send over out of worry. He closed his eyes, to tired of looking at the ceiling with making pictures out of the lines and knots in the wood.

Then there was a knock at the door, followed but another set quickly after. Mathayus sighed, well he had wished for something to happen hadn't he? "Come in," he said not even to sit up or even open his eyes as the short woman came in.

"Oh Sir, are you alright? You don't look so well...," he listened not even having to open his eyes to see those worrying little eyes of the short woman. "Master Lusha has come, maybe I should just send him on his way if you are ill."

Mathayus sat up at that, he hadn't talked to the girl since before the Peace Conference. She had gone and he had not, after hearing all that had happened there how he had wished many a time that he had been able to go as well. "Lusha is here?" he asked looking at the woman.

"Yes Sir, hes in the sitting room and he brought....," her sentence stopping short as Mathayus was already out of the room and down the hall. "He brought a friend," Eva finished quietly to herself before smiling at the tall young man making his way down the hall and then closing the door to his room as she left. She would bring them something in a while after they got through their hellos.

Mathayus threw a shirt over his shoulders as he walked, a shirt, even undone, was better than no shirt as he saw it right now. No what was more important was making sure that his little Sae was alright, after all the mess he had heard of from that Conference. He just had to make sure with his own eyes that the girl was truly alright. "Sa....Lusha," his words quickly changing to her brother's name as he came to the doorway stopping there, catching sight of the other man with her. He had said her name, or at least the name she had adopted going into the army, but those eyes locked on that unknown man. That unknown man that dared to show up with his little Sae.

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Words: four. four. oh
Notes: he doesn't have anything pretty yet for posts, tsk tsk

[Carmine Rihl Haerow]

Carmine had been to other nobles' houses before, had seen the grand display of wealth they seemed to enjoy, but it always struck him as exciting when he came to a new one. Every nobleman seemed to showcase their hobbies or exploits in a different way. It wasn't really how the painter would choose to decorate his own home if he had one--he had simpler taste than that, except in his paintings--but it was certainly lovely to look at.

While he and Lusha waited for her step-uncle to come in, he occupied himself with looking around at the books on the shelves, walking around the room sort of hunched over with his hands in his pockets. Some of the volumes looked quite old. His hands itched to touch them and flip through the pages out of sheer curiosity, but he resisted the urge. He didn't know the man they'd come here to see, so he didn't think it would be very polite of him to touch his stuff without asking.

He heard footsteps and looked up as a tall blonde with his shirt undone entered the room and said Lusha's name. Carmine smiled warmly, but the other just stared at him unblinkingly. The smile faded slightly. Had he done something wrong already? Surely the man couldn't yet tell that he was Carthonian. Should he say something? No, that would only make it more obvious. He spoke Niendran fluently now, but there was still a trace of an accent, even if it was no longer as hindering as it had been before. He looked at Lusha instead, still feeling the man's eyes on him. It made him rather uncomfortable.

[Lusha je D'caarre]

The girl stood up quickly when Mat entered the room. She could already since his dislike to the fact that she had brought a man into his home, one of the places she could most comfortably be herself depending on the day. "M-Mat," she nervously began, "Before you get too irrational-" there was a smile on her face as she moved closer to her oldest friend, "Carmine is a friend of mine." She looked over at the painter and gave him a quick smile, before she looked back at Mat. The man had known her for the longest time, and she was positive that he could see the nervousness in her eyes. He could have a temper, and she already knew that he wouldn't be too happy about Carmine... especially when he'd find out that the painter is Carthonian.

"He's a nice guy," she said with a smile on her face, "He's a painter, Mat." She looked him over, measuring her glances and her comments as well as she could. It was obvious she was hiding something. "After what happened at the Peace Conference, the only thing I could think of was getting back home. I know you and the boys would want to hear what went down." She pulled Mat closer to the seats and tried getting him to sit down with her... "And Carmine was injured, but he healed himself, by that time we were a few days into being in Niendra. We did a little show with some Gypsies, in thanks for giving us a ride or it would have taken us longer to get here," She laughed slightly when she mentioned the Gypsies... they were a queer folk, indeed. She looked at Carmine, and another smile came to her face, then she looked back to Mat, who still seemed puzzled by the presence of the painter.

"He's a friend Mat," she assured her step-uncle. She was slightly nervous, but then she had a feeling that she knew exactly why he was nervous. He wasn't sure if Carmine knew who she actually was. She took a deep breath, calculated his possible reaction, and decided she should tell him... "He knows who I am, Mat... I trust him." She waited a moment, hopefully he wouldn't let his temper get the best of him. She waited a few moments before she tried distracting him with another topic, "I wanted to discuss something with you, after telling you the events of the Peace Conference, I want to know what you think."

That was one of her favorite things about Mat. She could trust him and talk to him about anything, and he always seemed to know the best things to say or do in certain situations. But she knew if it came out that Carmine was Carthonian his head wouldn't be in the right mood, and she'd get nothing in edge wise. In all honestly, Mat was kind of an unpredictable being in her life, she never knew what he would say or what he would do... But she knew she could be honest with him, and even if he was to get mad, he would eventually calm himself.