1. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    "I'm sorry, then. I cannot make your day. I don't think it's a good idea to invite Laetitia on an outing that includes me, when it was her husband that sent people after me," Walter answered wryly. He refilled his drink and then attached to it until the glass was empty once again. Spiced wine...
  2. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    "Takes two for something like that to fail," Walter echoed. "If a gold-digging consort swindles one out of family money, at least it is easy to point out where failure lies. Matters of the heart? Oh, wily matters of the heart... a narrow path of softest sand that one can only walk barefoot, and...
  3. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    The head tilted to the side, but the attention did not take off from the flames to the drinking partner. A long inhale followed, the man's chest slowly rising. An exhale left through parting lips, he leaned the bottle to the ground by the bottom, rolled his fingers against the surface in...
  4. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    "How sad," It was hard to read the tone, but most of all it resembled a simple acknowledgement. He wrapped his fingers around the bottom of the bottle, then clasped it by the middle with good hand. A fox stirred in the underbrush, chasing mice. Geist was settling in to sleep. Walter stared at...
  5. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    Most people sought comfort in the orange warmth of the fire when they camped, where things were clear and seemed safe in that clarity. Walter felt soothed by the darkness gathering outside the pale glow. It would envelop and hide him from the world, and for a while, nobody needed to see him. He...
  6. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    Seemed like the sweets were Leysa's weak spot, or maybe his own presence had finally become not quite so jarring, after such a long time apart? They seemed to be falling right in step of that old connection. Even though he drunk more these days. "Oh, splendid. I would be much obliged if you...
  7. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    The slightly narrowed eyes were smiling back at her, jet eyebrow peaking briefly, as if to say, 'what did I tell you?' "I am most certain we could find a festival to serve as an excuse," Walter continued smoothly, "And, between the routes, we'd have time to have some practice. You would have...
  8. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    "It's in the narrow bottle with wicker lattice," Walter pointed out. "Next to xeres." He also grabbed a couple dried meat strips, trying to take the edge off muffling intoxication. There was a saying, good wine makes your head clear, your tongue loose and your legs weak, but he could wager he...
  9. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    "A drinking game?" Walter's shoulder hitched as he rose on the elbow against the log, finally pulling on the shirt at the chest to adjust the collar, and surveyed the bottles in thought. "The goods most certainly invite. Yes." A faint chuckle. "I think I'd like too play a drinking game. We'd...
  10. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    "Bless you," Walter deadpanned. "If it is something that will go away, I'll leave it be. Happen to be something of an expert, you know." After all, isn't this why he was invited for a visit? It was a duty. With his new state, something that would benefit for him to seek out proactively. Walk...
  11. Walter Thornley

    Private Baptism By Fire

    "The roads converge there," Conrad pointed. "We should catch up to them before they veer off the tract-" For an instant, all eyes were on the sky in the direction where the flash had just rushed through. Their question had just answered itself. "Con, Josie, return to the estate," the baron...
  12. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    "Haunted house?" Despite expectation, perhaps, Walters attention seemed to perk up from whatever dour thoughts he'd been trudging waist-deep in. "I must admit, I have not. Please." No further interruptions, until she was done with the information tidbit. Walter brought the wine close to the...
  13. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    The wound wasn't bleeding, but old and peculiar. The oldest, faded layer had the terse ridges of a vicious ambush attack, where the attacker was shaken off, and their fangs dragged and ripped through the skin before exiting. But the newer, perhaps years old, perhaps less - were much more precise...
  14. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    "No, I haven't," Walter chuckled. "You're the first. I am still pondering what moves I could take. Don't worry, dear friend, I'm not a boy who liked to toy with swords, anymore, I've wielded blades to kill in those seventeen years. Not as easy to teach me a lesson as some might have liked." He...
  15. Walter Thornley

    Dare Blur

    Oddly enough, a literal treat to anything but the improper was all he'd meant. Truly keeping his coinpurse more wide open than his private wants. Tiptoeing because, while word-weaving and double-speak bypassed him, sometimes - he was not daft. He knew exactly where he was, and that he did not...
  16. Walter Thornley

    Dare Blur

    The affable cat wasn't going on a lark with him because she enjoyed the stench of sweat and booze, for certain. But he wasn't giving her what she might have been after, either. No flirt, no gossip, not even an adventurous trip to see the unfortunately endowed gentleman. She must have been...
  17. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    He picked up a spring apple, tough and green skin, firm flesh with a perfect balance of sourness to it. Sunk his teeth into it, eyes closing to let his senses narrow to just the taste, the scent, the feel, for a moment. A sigh, jaws working as he chewed, reality fading back in. Her question, of...
  18. Walter Thornley

    Private Tides of Woe

    The patch of soft skin under Geist's jaw inflated slightly as the beast warbled low, a tension about the agile body as he prowled - then, obeying the subtle command of the rider, turned, long tail trailing after the movement as directions aligned. Walter's focus remained on the rider, however...
  19. Walter Thornley

    Private Summer Wine [M]

    Geist raised the long, heavy-jawed head from the bushes. The drake was lounging unsaddled in the grass, not too far off from the hunting camp, happy to scratch the keratinous crest at the top of its head. The paws, folded in the air, would not quite make biscuits - but splayed out with claws out...
  20. Walter Thornley

    Private The Damage Roots Can Do

    He laughed, and shook his head. "I am ahead of you in years, that should be frightening," The rest of the way, what few dozen steps remained, was made in silence of a focus restored. Ah, it was nothing like he didn't remember. And so, he stood for a moment, simply taking in the colors, the...
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