Meeting Arr'ness

[Roderick Douglas]

It had been nearly a week since she had last seen Roderick, and Kenzi was doing her best to pretend this wasn't something that bothered her. Honestly, though? Her resolve at not seeing the black haired Scot was fading. Each time he called, she found herself holding her breath and coming closer to answering than the last time. Then just as she pushed the button to answer, the phone had stopped ringing and she was left with silence on the other end of the line. This had gone on for a couple of days, and common sense would have dictated that she simply return the call but Kenzi was not exactly utilizing her brain.

It might all seem quite childish, avoiding a man she was obviously very attracted to, but Kenzi had her reasons. She had little time for distractions in her life, she had little patience for ridiculous behavior that the male species seemed to be afflicted with, and she had little desire to feel herself get caught up in another's world or allow them into hers. No, the last time that had happened, she'd gotten too close and when it was over the letdown had been something that had distracted her from her goals.

Yet there it was again, that nagging feeling of butterflies in her belly brought about by the mere thought of the giant Scotsman. She paused, "leash" poised midair near one of her dragon charges, as the vision of those loch blue eyes danced about behind her eyes and the remembrance of the feel of his lips, demanding at first and then gentle, made her own lips nearly tingle with the memory. "Ughhhh blasted damn man, get outta my head. Bewitching a girl until she's just silly, should be a crime!" It should be a crime indeed, especially when it caused a plan to formulate within the mind of that bewitched girl. She needed to walk these dragons, perhaps she should walk them near his stable and let them put the fear of his God into him. The thought caused an impish smile to dance upon lips still remembering his kiss.

"We are going to visit a friend today. That'll be nice, yeah?" She crooned at the baby dragon as the leash was finally connected. The dragon purred its response, surprisingly musical, and Kenzi leaned over to give it an affectionate pat before moving on to the other dragon.


The week had been one of the longest of the Scot's life, since that night he'd dared to kiss the wild, chaotic, and yes, *fae* lass Kenzi Davis in that Dragon's Gate market square. They'd exchanged phone numbers, and while Roderick was still 'naive' to these modern devices (he could use a phone or laptop with the best of them), he'd always adapted to new tools, new weapons, new technology with the relative ease of a warrior. Adaptability meant survival. So, he knew it wasn't ignorance on his part that was the reason she wasn't returning his calls. He wasn't dialing the wrong number, he was sure.

One day had turned into two, then three, of his attempts to reach her, without success. Nights had been a gauntlet of the worst dreams he could remember, even compared to those of the last few months. Sleep, what he could manage, was filled with his dark pursuer: an ominous, somehow female creature which chased him through dream-forests, 'her' cry haunting, alluring - even sinful. But the dreams this week had gone a step further. Sometimes the dark pursuer, a humanoid creature wrapped in shadows which spoke with the voice of an angel, caught him. He'd dreamed of being strapped to tables, of being hung by his wrists from trees; he'd even been crucified, nails driven through wrists and ankles, to wake him up screaming, the memory of hot iron's pain through his flesh still lingering minutes after his awakenings.

He knew upon waking that whatever the reasons for his dreams, someone was angry with him. Every morning he'd had the sense of it, of some horrible rage, directed specifically at him. But Roderick was a warrior, a fighter, and a Scot, and his horses needed him. Even that black pegasus stallion, the Air Keeper Venalia's steed, had come to rely upon the Scot in its daily routine, and was slowly coming around to being tractable enough to attempt riding. No matter the Scot's fell nightmares, he had work to do.

Still, as he rose one morning before dawn, and dragged his mind-weary frame to the stableyard to begin the day's process of feeding, exercising, and otherwise tending his beloved charges, his mind was free to wander once more, back to a certain redheaded lass. What was she doing today? Why hadn't she called him back? He would assume he had simply taken too much liberty with that kiss, convinced the poor girl that he was a sex-crazed freak like most of Rhy'din's single men.

Muscles bulged to stretch the flannel work shirt he wore as he used a pitchfork to lift a bale of hay, and the big man let out a soft sigh, trying to clear his mind of the girl and see to the day's needs. The sun had just begun to peek over the hills nearby, past the city's edge; Roderick's barn lay at the very southern border of Rhy'din-town, on the cusp between rural and urban, and still bore a commanding view of the mountains surrounding the Southern Glen, the snowcaps of which lit up brilliantly with the dawn's first rays.

The babies weren't so small as the title might suggest. Honestly, they were more like toddlers in mentality and dragon age than babies but they had been her "babies" since hatching and thus would always be referred to as such. Walking the two of them was very much like trying to walk two ponies on bridles that had their own ideas about where they wanted to go. More than once, Kenzi and the dragons had caused quite a bit of chaos and destruction whilst out walking; thankfully her employer had money to cover damages.

The location of Roderick's stable was actually an ideal location for her exercising the misbehaven dragons because it was heading out of town instead of into it. There wasn't much of a worry regarding them attempting to eat the horses either because they had been raised with horses since hatching and had seemed to view them more as playmates than food. She had also just fed them both, so that would also help.

He was located only a couple of miles east of her location, nearly parallel, and Kenzi had actually passed the place before. This would be no mere passing, however. The redhead pulled back on the leashes that connected to body harnesses which signalled the pair to stop. Cooing soft words, she moved up between the two while gently stroking along their scales. As they became accustomed to the new scents and sounds, the wild tossing of their horned heads stopped and they sat down upon the grass, calm for the moment.

Kenzi tied the reins to a nearby tree and walked towards the stable, clearing her throat softly as she entered so as not to surprise him. Soon followed a hesitantly soft, "H-hullo? Roderick...?" The sound of his name felt foreign upon her tongue but she found she enjoyed speaking it anyway.

[Roderick Douglas]

By the time the sun had fully risen, and Kenzi was leading her...pony-sized... 'baby' dragons along the road that passed Roderick's low-fenced property - the weathered but well-maintained, freshly painted sign above the main stable building's door read, uncreatively, Douglas Stables ~ Fine Horses, Expert Training - the Scotsman himself had largely finished lugging hay bales to the horses' stalls, fed them, freshened their water troughs, and gotten a group of five out to the corral for exercise.

The corral itself bordered the front edge of the somewhat remote property, so that the scent of tree-tethered dragon wafted on the morning breeze and easily reached the pacing, trotting equine steeds within the wood-railed enclosure; it was the sound of a nervous whicker which first caught Roderick's attention from the door of the stables, whereat he was busy checking saddle straps and girths for replacement. His head lifted, blue gaze intent as it swept the area, and it was then he saw her coming, hearing her voice lilt his name at the very same time.

It was enough to shock him into stillness; for a moment he thought he really must be dreaming, his sleep-deprived thoughts finally forcing their way to the surface. But heartbeats passed, and she did not vanish like some misty morning mirage. The shock of seeing her there passed quickly enough, leaving a smile on the Scotsman's face fit to match the newly risen sun. "Och! Ef et esn't Kenzi Davis 'erself" he quipped, too pleased to see her to make a snide comment about her capacity to answer phones. His eyes shifted past her, to the dragons, and he continued, "Those no 'ave a taste fer 'orse, d'they?" This question was voiced with some obvious concern, as the horses seemed to be riling up with the 'wee' dragon's presence. Roderick displayed no fear of the reptiles, but his gaze between them and the nervous horses was sharp, alert.

It was the appearance of the man himself that halted Kenzi in her tracks. She stood for a long moment, watching him look around before his gaze settled upon her with what appeared as perhaps a moment of disbelief followed by a smile that seemed to warm her far more than the dark denim jean jacket, gray scarf, and beanie that was pulled down over free flowing copper waves. Her own lips were lured into a flashing of teeth that belied her nervousness and the sudden racing of her heart. Kenzi's feet moved of their own accord to draw her closer to the source of that warmth, drawn like a moth to the flame, until she was standing just a few feet away from him and wishing suddenly that space would just disappear. She cleared her throat and gave a light toss of her head to clear it of such thoughts all the while cursing the burning of her cheeks.

She waited for the questions or chastisement for not returning his calls and was pleasantly surprised when she realized she might be off the hook this time. Her gaze followed his to where the babies were tethered to the tree, happily scratching their scaled spines upon the rough bark, then returned her attention to him. "My babies? No, of course not. I wouldn't have brought them if I thought they might harm your horses. They've been raised with horses since they hatched. Her gaze shifted to the corral, and the nervous horses, before returning to him once more. "Those no 'ave a taste fer wee lil drag'ns, d'they?" It was a silly question, even more so with her mimicking his accent, but it was meant to hopefully put him at ease.

The look of concern he'd paid the dragons was soon assuaged by her comments, and her proximity. Every step closer she took, the more soothed he felt. He didn't even feel as tired as he had when he'd dragged himself from the evils of his nightly sleep that morning. It was not simply that Kenzi was so damned cute, for that she was in her outfit, but something beneath the surface, beyond the visual. Magic, fae power, though Roderick had no understanding of the subtle energies at work. It was enough for him that seeing her made him feel like smiling, somewhere between nervous excitement and a deeper relief.

Still, best not to admit such things openly. His smile turned playful as he replied, "Well, I s'pose I'll jes' 'ave tae take yer word fer et then, lass." He added a wink to the obvious jest. "Me 'orses're nae war-trained, so, nae, they'll no be tryin' tae eat yer ..charges, I'm thinken'," he continued, adopting a 'serious' tone, his eyes twinkling. "Actually, yer doin' me a favor 'ere, might be guid fer 'em ta get used ta the scent o' more predators than jes' the wolves 'n cats wot 'unt fer prey aroun' these 'ills," he added in a more earnestly serious tone. He drew his eyes from the dragons, and the horses both, finally allowing his gaze to drink more of her in; just looking at her made his stomach flutter and roil in ways it hadn't since he was a younger lad ruled far more by hormones, but he was putting on a good enough show of ease so far. Even if all he wanted was to push forward, wrap her in his arms, and steal another one of her mind-numbing kisses.

Something of that stray though might have showed in his face, his cheeks becoming ruddy from more than just the crisp December morning's chill. He tried to cover it up, coughing slightly, and asking, "Sa wot brings ye by 'ere, then, Kenzi Davis? Jes' passen' throo'?" What a nice guy he was, to give her an 'excuse' for just happening to be all the way out here!

"Mhm, just walking the dragons. They live a couple of miles east of here and I've been trying not to walk them near town." She wasn't really going to say why unless pressed for details. He didn't need to know she couldn't fully control the beasts since that would be embarrassing to admit to a man that trained horses for a living.

Her gaze roved over him as he looked out at the horses and dragons, and she frowned slightly. He was every bit as handsome as the first couple of times she had seen him, rugged and strong, yet the lines upon his face and dark circles beneath his eyes were cause for concern; he looked haggard, even pale, despite the redness of his cheeks.

Acting without thought, as she did so frequently, the redhead stepped forward and pressed a mittened hand to his cheek, brushing it upwards along his cheekbone slowly as she murmured, "You aren't ill are you, Roderick? You seem...worn down. Or something..." Her brain finally caught up with her hands and the creamy pale flesh of her face, marred by a smattering of freckles, brightened red in embarrassment. "I..." Her hand dropped and she began to step back, shaking her head slightly. "I don't know what I was thinking, I'm sorry." What was she thinking? What made her feel such an urge to touch him as if she could remove whatever had caused him to appear unwell.

[Roderick Douglas]

The temptation to offer some clever reply to her assertion that she was just 'walking the dragons' was fierce. The twitching of his lips might have been a good indication of how serious he was taking that reply. But Kenzi seemed to know how to deflect the Scotsman's mind quite well, whether that was her actual intention or not. Acting without thought, she put a stop to Roderick's as well when her hand pressed against his face. Even through the mitten he could feel a warming balm spread over his face. He'd only be able to feel it, not see it, but to her eyes, the dark circles which she'd just pointed out began to fade, and the flush of full health return to *both* his cheeks.

He also felt better, more well-rested, and his mind clearer. If he hadn't known better, he'd have said she used magic upon him... But then, *did* he know better? He kept most of the surprise from his face, but for a few lingering moments, while she kept the mitten's contact, the Scot was looking to young miss Kenzi Davis in an entirely new light. There was a touch of awe, though he felt no revulsion, having spent plenty of his days with mages and their ilk during his time in Rhy'din. But then, there were her comments about 'warty' wizards; without doubt the fiery lass only became more complex, the more he considered her. Complex, and irresistible, at least to the stubble-cheeked horseman before her.

His voice was more hushed than it had been, and no matter how he tried he couldn't keep a touch of amazement from his tones. "Tes okay, Kenzi Davis. Aye, I've no been sleepen' well, but I suddenly jes' felt.. as ef I'd 'ad a shower an' a guid few 'ours sleep." He took an almost inadvertent step toward her, not a lunge, and certainly not with hands raised to grab, but the pull of her was undeniable - that is until his gentlemeanly nature and good sense snapped back to him with a sudden jolt. "Nae need ta apologize, Kenzi Davis. 'Ave ye uh..'ave ye e'er seen a winged 'orse? I mean ye likely 'ave wot wit keepen' such beasts as dragons n' all, but..." Two could play the deflection game. He was close to her now, no more than a foot, her scent tickling fragrant fingers up toward him.

Roderick wasn't the only one feeling some slight bit of awe; once the embarrassment of actually touching him again faded, she was left to wonder what exactly it was that had caused that warmth. Oh yes, she had felt it too, perhaps more so than he had as it was muted by the thick wool of the mitten. To her own hand it had felt nearly like fire, like a force of it had flown out of her fingertips and now she stood before him a little weak in the knees, her breath coming to her in slightly more labored pants as if she had just run the entire way here from the dragon stables.

That wasn't the only source of amazement nor confusion, however, as she was now looking at a man that appeared even healthier than he had the first night she had met him. That taint of darkness about his eyes, more than simply the lack of sleep but of something inexplicably more dark, was gone. The fine lines of strain around his eyes and mouth were gone as well. He appeared as fresh as a man that spent his days in the healthy sunshine and fresh air, serene and at one with nature.

"Your...face." She pointed as he stepped closer, pressing her free hand to her chest. Kenzi closed her eyes and shook her head, willing her eyes to see what was truly there and not the imaginings of a girl gone silly with a crush upon a handsome man. When her lashes fluttered open once more and he still appeared differently she held out the pointing hand to halt him. "Explain this." Common sense would dictate that Roderick could not actually *see* himself but the skittish redhead wasn't precisely reacting out of common sense.

However, he diffused what was going to be an extremely difficult situation with the feisty young woman, by dangling something more intriguing before her. "A winged horse? I've never seen one. I've heard of them but they are quite aloof beasts that do not prefer the company of humans. Likely because they do not wish to be captured and trained to be horses..." she spoke pointedly, arching a brow at him in accusation. Even with the distraction, which was very well played, Kenzi was still a bit leery of Roderick.

"Alright then, I will see this creature." Her voice was tinged with both impatience and excitement and it was all she could do not to bounce on her toes and clap like a child.

He was learning to be patient with her, learning that waiting for her to finally decide what she was really getting at, was good policy. Because as she pointed out his face - no, he couldn't 'see' it but he apparent amazement meshed well with the feeling that evidence of fatigue was gone - he was about to reply. He had no explanation. But she took the bait he'd dangled with the mention of the pegasus, quickly enough that he didn't have to try to explain. His second instinct, after that lurking, still-present suspicion that Kenzi was not 'all she seemed', was that his own barely-recognized powers of healing had just taken their sweet time kicking in. And explaining to someone he'd just met that no wound of his ever remained, instead vanishing almost right after it was taken...was a subject he'd rather avoid.

Still, whether it was some sneaky ploy of his, some subtle excuse to actually touch her and bridge the lingering tension between them - not a bad tension, but intense - he reached one of his massive, calloused hands out for one of her smaller, mitten-clothed ones. "Come along then, lass. An' I'm trainen' thes one fer an elven lass, a 'Lady', if ye will. She wot keeps the Tower o' Air. I'm no bein' cruel, nor've I tried ta ride the stallion mesel'. Just gettin' 'im used ta two-legged folk, ye ken." He knew he did not mistreat horses, even if handling them required a steady hand and no small amount of strength, but he felt compelled to ease the excitable young lady's fears of mishandling.

"'E's one o' the most magnificent creatures I've e'er seen," Roderick breathed in a quieter whisper as he led Kenzi - by hand or not, as she'd chosen - around the main stable-barn, to a special corral in the back. This one was as wide as the other out front, but the fences around it reached up twenty feet or more, and were not roofed at the top. A dedicated creature capable of flight could have flown right up and out. Within the cage that was not a cage, was a charcoal-black pegasus, its wings folded close against its body in a covering blanket; it was still napping away the morning there in its personal enclosure. It slept standing like any horse, its head bent back and muzzle tucked under the edge of one graceful, swanlike flightlimb.

[Roderick Douglas]

Kenzi felt a momentary pang of regret at her words when she heard his reply about not being cruel. She knew he wasn't a cruel man, could sense it. Perhaps that was the reason she didn't give any struggle when he took her be-mittened hand and even gave his own hand a reassuring squeeze. "I didn't say you were cruel, Roderick. I wouldn't even think it." For some reason. Some reason she couldn't even begin to explain.

She allowed him to lead her around to the special corral and then stopped quite suddenly as she saw the pegasus. Her free hand lifted to cover the soft gasp that was the initial reaction to seeing the peacefully sleeping creature. "He's beautiful..." she breathed, taking a tentative step forward as if she were deciding whether she could extract her hand from Roderick's and get inside the corral before he could stop her. She had every intention of petting the pegasus.

Though it was with a pang of regret that Roderick finally let her hand free, once they came within sight of the pegasus, he did; before letting her part though, he pushed something into one of her palms - a small cube of solid white sugar. He recalled his own first encounter with the magnificent, stately creature, and his own sense of awe. Its coat was charcoal black, but it's long, barely kempt mane and those sweeping wings were of a slightly lighter color, a gray which melted into an almost silvery luster at the tips. So much like an equine, though the way its feather ruffled during its occasional shifting motions reminded one of nothing so much as a nesting eagle.

The Scotsman stood back, watching both the winged horse and Kenzi as she tentatively approached it. One of its (his really, it was very obviously a stallion upon close inspection) eyes flicked open, its head not moving at first when it regarded her. With a slow sippling of the sleek muscles trapped under the sheen of its fur, it drew its muzzle out from under the edge of a folded wing, and gave a very horselike chuff of greeting. His nostrils flared as the scent of the sugar in her hand reached it, and piqued its equine interest.

Roderick stood back silently, hardly daring to breathe - and realized that this strange, complicated, beautiful lass had quite a way with animals. Walking *dragons* - and a wild pegasus stallion simply..chuffed at her. It had stamped its feet and reared upon the approach of any other creature, the Scot himself included, when Venalia'd first brought it around.

Kenzi felt the small cube in her palm and looked down to see that it was a sugar cube. A slight grin formed and was cast over one shoulder for Roderick before she took off towards the corral.

As she drew closer to the winged stallion, she slowed her steps and took several deep breaths, as a way of sensing the creatures mood. For as long as she could remember, she had been able to do this. She didn't smell the pungent odor of fear or worry, more so it was the scent of curiosity and of course the desire for that cube of sugar.

Continuing with her slow, methodical steps, Kenzi finally reached the gate and unlatched it. She sniffed the air once more and noted no real change so decided it was fine to continue. With a soft clucking of her tongue and very slow movements, she moved towards the pegasus with her arm outstretched so he could accept the cube of sugar.

The winged stallion was hesitant at first; even weeks of training had not, and would never, fully shed its reserve around the land bound creatures of the world. It chuffed another breath, nostrils flaring while it took in Kenzi's scent - and seemed to like what it found. A step, then another, and the lure of the sugar and the fiery lass' essentially good aura drew the stallion closer, until his muzzle pressed gently to her hand. The sugar was swiftly a memory, and the pegasus immediately began searching for more. His muzzle moved from its search of her hand, to press right up against her cheek with a soft whicker of sound.

The Scotsman standing outside the creature's corral was even more amazed than he'd been at first. His tones were softly spoken as he called over, "Ye've quite the way with 'em, lass. That elf Lady 'ad some fancy name fer this ane, but I jes' call 'im Blackie." Roderick was careful not to pass the corral's enclosure, giving the two within their space; it was obvious Kenzi's made a new friend, and that the stallion far preferred the company of females to males. It had taken Roderick a full week to approach the noble creature as Kenzi just had!

"Don' suppose yer lookin' fer another job?" Roddy quipped toward the young lady with a playful sort of smile. Just what she needed, right?

As soon as the pegasus pressed his muzzle to her cheek, Kenzi lifted her hand to gently stroke along his neck, cooing softly as she did so. Woman and beast remained in such a way until she heard Roderick's voice and tilted her head in order to look at him. A serene smile relaxed upon her lips at the compliment and her gaze shifted back to the stallion for a moment before returning to the Scot.

"I'm always looking for another job. Especially one that involves animals..." Was he really offering her a job? The idea of working here, having an excuse to see him frequently, caused her tummy to flutter. Which, of course, made her mentally chastise herself.

[Roderick Douglas]

Had he really been offering her a job? His tone in asking the question had been light, almost flippant, but when he realized how good she was with Blackie, how natural she seemed with the difficult creature, he realized it hadn't been flippancy, but instinct which had urged his question of her. Hadn't she said she already had six jobs?!

But one look at her face when her hand stroked along the noble equine curve of the pegasus's neck decided him. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and said, "I've ne'er seen Blackie 'ere take ta someone the way 'e jes' did ye. If ye wish the job, et es yers, Kenzi Davis. I pay in guid silver, and I'll only be wantin' ye tae take Blackie oot fer exercise, an' it please ye." The 'flippant' offer was formalized just like that.

Blackie tensed up at the sound of the Scot's voice, as the stallion always did when hearing a male speak - but as if the creature had understood what was offered, he ruffled his mouth against Kenzi's ear in a gesture that could only be affection. For the pegasus, the deal was well and truly sealed. Roderick kept off to the side, awaiting the lovely redhead's reply; he was even more nervous, for some reason, than when he'd first dared to kiss her.

Lips arced into a full smile as she heard Roderick, at the same time she was cooing soothing sounds against the side of the stallion's muzzle. The offered affection was accepted with a soft giggle, easily comparable to that of a child being licked by a puppy. "Would you like that, Blackie?" Her voice lilted musically causing the pegasus to whinny in apparent reply. A pleased grin was directed towards Roderick and she nodded.

"He says this is an acceptable arrangement," something in the way she spoke would make a person pause to ponder if the beast had actually spoken. "I'll come by after walking the dragons each morning and evening and take him for his exercise." And thus, Roderick no longer had to worry about not seeing Kenzi for a week; when she actually did commit to something, she stood by her word.

And if the Scot had really been thinking about it, really been honest with himself, he'd been searching for an excuse to see her more often. The fact that she had avoided him for a week was cause for some concern, but perhaps if he could just keep himself from wanting to kiss her...

There was no doubt, though, that her very presence was precisely what the Scot wanted. The phenomenon of her touch wiping away the signs and sensations still lingered in his mind, but if this Kenzi Davis was some witch, well, the Scotsman was becoming truly bewitched indeed. Her smile sent shivers up along his spine, a pleasant, tingling sensation, and for no discernible reason, his cheeks - still ruddy from the ambient morning chill - reddened a little more.

"Guid, guid. I ah..well, ye knoe, tes customary ta seal a deal wit' a 'andshake, if ye c'n spare me a moment from yer convairsation wit' Blackie there." Did deals require handshakes? Not really, but the Scot was looking for some excuse to get closer to her that would not involve violating the sanctity of the pegasus' corral. That part of his stable grounds was *her* territory now.

Kenzi arched a pale brow at the request, though secretly impressed with his old fashioned mannerisms- this was no typical young guy acting a fool but much more of a man and the thought thrilled her as much as it made her very nervous. She cleared her throat, whispered a few words to Blackie that had him chuffing in response, and then tore herself away from the enigmatic creature. As she moved closer to Roderick, she removed one of her mittens and when close enough, extended her hand to him.

"It's a deal, then, yes?" She tried not to stammer or shift her feet as their gazes met but she instantly felt herself being pulled in and took a visible breath that showed how nervous she actually was.

Blackie gave a stamp of a hoof when Kenzi broke contact, and even trotted after her for a few steps. But catching the scent of Roderick, the horses past the main stables, and some foreign, sharper predatory odor (for the draconic fragrance of the two creatures tethered out front would have made it here, on the breeze, by then), the pegasus stopped. It's head rose, nostrils flaring, and while it did not balk or spook, the winged creature was clearly not interested in leaving his corral.

Which was good for Roderick, perhaps, for he did not want to have to wrestle with a territorial pegasus right at that moment. When she approached, though his stomach still flipped and churned with nerves, he put on his best businesslike demeanor and reached out to grasp her unmittened hand. Her skin felt so soft against the callouses of his palms, wrought by sword and saddle's rough leather, that he nearly forgot what he was about to say. It came to him after only a short delay, though, a delay during which he allowed himself to meet her eyes, lose himself in her blues just a little more.

"I, ah..Aye, tes a deal, Kenzi Davis." And he shook her gripped hand once, sealing the bargain (though her pay had yet to be discussed), though was reluctant to let her hand go. As a matter of fact he took a small step closer, that ruddy hue on his cheeks deepening. Nervous, still, but he could not deny the draw of her proximity.

[Roderick Douglas]

The feel of his callused hand holding her far smaller one caused Kenzi to take another deep breath and chew at her lower lip. How had she missed the feel of something she hadn't even known she'd wanted? While she was accustomed to being smaller than most, she found that she liked the feeling of her hand being completely engulfed by this "giant" and briefly revisited that kiss they'd shared and the way it felt to have his arms around her.

With reddening cheeks, a sure sign that her mind was elsewhere, she allowed him to step closer without stepping back. In fact, her feet may have moved of their own volition towards him as he was once again the flame and she the moth. "A deal...yes. It's a good deal, Roderick Douglas." His name fell from her lips in a near hushed whisper as her gaze lowered to the lips that had held her own captive a week prior and then moved back up to those eyes that swallowed her up whole and left her a quivering, confused mess.

She attempted to speak, to do anything besides stare at him like some half-witted, crushing schoolgirl. "Bl-blackie wanted me to tell you that he doesn't like the oats you feed him but the apples and carrots are acceptable." Wonderful time to convey the pegasus' demands, yes? How would she explain how she knew what the stallion was communicating? "Also, he says his name is Arrn'ess." She likely sounded crazy but her face was completely serious.

"Oh aye? 'E doesn't like getten' the best oats I c'n buy, does 'e? Well, 'es minder 'as spoken, 'as she nae?" he said with a grin of mirth dancing on his lips. "Arrn'ess.. aye, that' was the name the elf Lady said. Aye.." he glanced down at her, momentarily caught between his amazement at her ability to communicate with the pegasus, and his amazement at the way he felt when she was this close. "Yer defenet'ly the right lass fer the job, Miss Davis."

His own words were a poor facade; the way she was looking at him was becoming impossible to ignore. Even as pale, clawed hands tried to reach out from the darkness of his deepest subconscious, he forced them back with an effort of will. Whatever fight was occurring within the Scot's Glamour'd mind, the darkness could hold no sway when the light of shone upon him.

"Kenzi Davis," he finally said, a warning in his tone. "I'm kissen' ye again." Very gentlemanly, and very silly, of him to warn her. By the hand he yet gripped, he pulled her close against him, and dipped his head down, unable to resist pushing his hungry mouth against her own. This time, he was not afraid of being slapped; he was more afraid of waking up from this poignant, sweet, sweet dream in which he seemed to have become mired. With this kiss, he drank in the scent, the taste of her, his tongue darting tentatively to find her own. Caution tossed, and unmindful of Blackie's sharp gaze, this time he *kissed* her the way he needed to, the way her eyes, her posture needed him to.

He engulfed her both physically and mentally and she found that the closer he drew towards her, the more difficult it was to breathe or resist him. The hand he held dwarfed within his own moved of its own volition to intertwine her slender fingers with his own. She knew she should resist, should pull away at the very least, but she couldn't think of a single reason why she should. Her lips moved involuntarily, murmuring as his own approached, "Yes." He hadn't asked permission but she wanted him to know she wanted this kiss every bit as much as he did. Maybe later she would regret it but for this moment, she was free of regret or inhibition.

Her free hand snaked up the broad expanse of his chest to curl an arm around his neck, drawing him down further so she could mold herself to him. Her lungs were burning from the lack of oxygen but she would pass out from lack of air before she would break that kiss. A soft whimper stuck in her throat as she felt her knees finally buckle a little from the strain of holding that pose while he swept her away.

~~Time ceased to exist as did their surroundings as Kenzi was very much transported to another time and place where the Highland grasses brushed against the copious folds of her thick skirts. She kissed a man that *appeared* to be Roderick but at the same time could not possibly be. She couldn't be here kissing the man either, could she? He stood there stoically, once they drew apart, with one hand resting upon the hilt of a massive claymore whose blade had been plunged into the earth. She lifted a hand to smooth back a stray lock of long pitch black hair that had escaped from the binding at the base of his skull. "Ye promise ye'll come back, aye? Ye'll nae be dyin' upoon th'field o'battle tae an Anglesh bastaird an' leavin' mae alone, ya ken?"

There were twin trails down her dirt stained cheeks, proof of earlier tears that she had put away during their goodbye, to be revisited after he was gone. It was the way of a hardened people, the women as war weary and toughened as the men as they sent their loved ones off time and again, with only a prayer and hope to console them.

Her arms wrapped around his neck once again as she felt the tears building and refused to allow him to see her cry. Finally she pulled away, a rough peck given to his cheek, as she turned and began to run, calling over her shoulder. "Doon'tche be forgettin' tae bring me a gift, ya lout!" She left him with that bit of humor as she ran down the grassy knoll and to the bank of the loch where she could be alone.~~

Kenzi "returned" to her own body, or time and place, with a sharp gasp and dragged her lips from Roderick's. Eyes were wide and staring, filled with the tears "she" had cried upon the bank of the loch, as she lifted a hand to touch his disheveled hair as if the touch would help her remember. She shook her head in confusion and whispered, her gaze searching back and forth between each of his eyes, "H-how do I know you, Roderick?"

[Roderick Douglas]

He'd been prepared to kiss her no matter the case, but truly, the fact that she'd said "Yes" only urged him further, soothed the bundle of nerves that was his stomach. His need to kiss her may have been a burning thing, searing his heart, his mind, his body with desire - but if she'd refused him, flat out, he would never have forced himself on her.

The energy between them, the 'chemistry', was nothing like that though. They were magnets of opposite polarity; they were attracted to each other like lead shavings to the lodestone, not repelled. The proof of that was not only in the kiss - which Roderick was happy to extend as long as she would, his tongue becoming more brave, though still gentle, during its dance with hers - but in the way her mere presence soothed the pangs of the Scotsman's nightly terrors, and in the strength of his rather sudden feelings about her.

He was like a starving man, a prisoner who'd been cut off from love or desire or the simple pleasures of sharing a kiss with a girl, who was suddenly presented with a feast. For Kenzi's aura pushed the dark away, and in so doing allowed the light of Roderick's soul to flow back, to return. It was a heady feeling that he'd not even known he was missing until he'd been around this delightful, chaotic, irresistible young woman.

The Scot was no psychic, however, and as the pressure of lips continued, his arms ready to wrap her and provide the support her knees were lacking during that brief weakness, he was of course unaware of the maelstrom that was her inner mind, of the vision she'd had. As the kiss broke, he reluctant yet gentle, and knowing she needed to breathe anyway, his stomach was fluttering in a whole new way. Confusion flickered in his loch blues when he replied, "I..canny say, Kenzi Davis. But I feel I've known ye a time longer than jes' a week."

Suddenly self-conscious, he finally loosed the hand she'd offered for the deal-sealing shake, and allowed his arm at her waist to slip free. "Look at me, kissen' ye like some slimy Anglish poof of a boss. Unprofaissional of me." He didn't really *look* sorry, but he was reeling in some shock at this second, incredible kiss. "I'll no be maken' ye do such thin's while yer workin', I promes' ye."

Kenzi did her best to shake out of the haziness and watched him through furrowed brows as he released her. Hearing his words, they seemed empty compared to his actions which felt very much like a rejection. It was simply coincidence and poor timing but it stung in ways it shouldn't.

"You'll not be...making me....do such things...." Kenzi swallowed the lump in her throat and nodded a bit sharply before turning on her heel and stomping off towards the corral. Her cooing had reached Arrn'ess prior to her entrance and he was already standing close by, nudging a shoulder. Her hand lifted to stroke along his silken neck just prior to her burying her face in the wild mane. "I'm losing my mind, my friend..."

And here he'd thought he was being a decent gentleman with her, and not trying to overstep any bounds of propriety - hiring her certainly hadn't been some creepy plan to get her into his bed or something. But while he was still reeling from that second, spectacular kiss, he knew very well he was treading on dangerous ground here. There was something about her that tickled the back of his mind, and it wasn't just the soothing effect, nor the healing of her fingers' careful touch at his tired eyes just earlier.

He watched her stomp off toward Blackie - Arrn'ess, he remembered this time (silly elf words) - and opened his mouth as if to speak - then shut it again. Whatever he'd said to upset her, belaboring the issue righ then was not going to help. Twenty seven years had given him enough wisdom to know when to be delicate. But why was she so familiar, suddenly? He scratched his stubbled cheek, then called over, "Ah'll let ye two get bettair acquainted, then. If ye need annathin' I'll be exaircisin' the 'orses. The anes wot canny fly." With that, he scuffed a boot at the ground, slipped on the heavy leather gloves he wore on workadays, then headed around the stableyard toward the other penned horses. Fortunately, they'd already gotten used to the dragon smell well enough that he could approach them, leading them out one at a time for their daily runs.

Roderick suddenly had a great deal to think about.