12-30-2021, 05:16 PM
Gwen watched him as he looked up, enjoying the bright light of the moon and the fainter glow from the torches illuminating him almost completely with only a slight shadow here and there. Though that was a rather dangerous thought, considering how handsome he was. Best not to look at him, best not to feel anything so instead, she cast her eyes up as well, even though the star-lit tapestry above might have been a foreign language for she could understand none of it.
How lucky she had someone here who could read it like a map. Yes, very fortunate indeed - for that purpose!
When he began to speak, she looked back down. It was pleasing to hear that the endeavor seemed to have a favorable outcome, although she doubted that her brother would take the stars as any reassurance to his concerns about failure. Of course, anything worth having contained hardships aplenty. She had seen that time and time again but that was when you had to fight harder for your dreams and desires.
When he went on to say that they would be friends, her eyebrows raise slightly, a smile spreading on her face. "Oh, the stars tell you all that, do that?" She mused. "Though I could hardly accuse you of playing me false. I am afraid my mother did not see to my education in the study of either of your subjects. I was a rather poor student overall, to be honest. Frankly, the kindest words I heard on the subject went something like, not the brightest candle in the chandelier." She gave a self-deprecating shrug, quite unladylike but rather truthful in how she felt.
It had been her brother Gifford, saying it, of course. And Gwen was not supposed to have heard him say such but she'd been eavesdropping on a conversation between her older brothers and mother when Gifford had decided that it was time for her to marry. He'd wanted to marry her off to whomever would have her simply because she couldn't do much for herself and thus would need someone who could take care of her.
How furious she had been in that moment, that she did so many things for other people but it still wasn't enough in her eldest brother's eyes to impress him.
"Though I do find myself curious sometimes. Ric always talks about navigating by the stars. He tried to show me once how to do it, in case I was ever out on my visits and darkness fell before I could make my way home but, between me and you," she leaned forward a little as though they were sharing some great secret, "I do not believe that Astronomy is quite his thing either."
How lucky she had someone here who could read it like a map. Yes, very fortunate indeed - for that purpose!
When he began to speak, she looked back down. It was pleasing to hear that the endeavor seemed to have a favorable outcome, although she doubted that her brother would take the stars as any reassurance to his concerns about failure. Of course, anything worth having contained hardships aplenty. She had seen that time and time again but that was when you had to fight harder for your dreams and desires.
When he went on to say that they would be friends, her eyebrows raise slightly, a smile spreading on her face. "Oh, the stars tell you all that, do that?" She mused. "Though I could hardly accuse you of playing me false. I am afraid my mother did not see to my education in the study of either of your subjects. I was a rather poor student overall, to be honest. Frankly, the kindest words I heard on the subject went something like, not the brightest candle in the chandelier." She gave a self-deprecating shrug, quite unladylike but rather truthful in how she felt.
It had been her brother Gifford, saying it, of course. And Gwen was not supposed to have heard him say such but she'd been eavesdropping on a conversation between her older brothers and mother when Gifford had decided that it was time for her to marry. He'd wanted to marry her off to whomever would have her simply because she couldn't do much for herself and thus would need someone who could take care of her.
How furious she had been in that moment, that she did so many things for other people but it still wasn't enough in her eldest brother's eyes to impress him.
"Though I do find myself curious sometimes. Ric always talks about navigating by the stars. He tried to show me once how to do it, in case I was ever out on my visits and darkness fell before I could make my way home but, between me and you," she leaned forward a little as though they were sharing some great secret, "I do not believe that Astronomy is quite his thing either."
