He winked to me! {Calon}

[Narbeleth]

“Cal!” Beleth called lightly upon entering the stables. She was not meek within this barn, it was certain, for her brother, and her father before him, had always treated her as welcome here. Most of the men who had been here for a time knew her, if not by name, at least as a sister of the Stablemaster. She was almost skipping as she went. A few men turned heads as she entered, and it was not only for her call, but she was looking rather bright and lovely today, her cheeks a bit flushed for her quickened pace here, and beaming brilliantly in joy. Her grey day dress seemed not drab, but only to intensify the expression of her eyes.

The young woman stopped one of the young stable hands, a man perhaps her own age, and he did look quite surprised. He was about to tell her that her brother had not come in to work this day, but she spoke first; “Have you seen Calon?” The man nodded; “Yes, my Lady. He’s down on the far end today. Stablemaster’s got him mucking stalls again… fourth day in a row, you know. Must have done something to ignite your brother.” The young man smiled knowingly, and Narbeleth looked at him curiously, wondering if Calon had spoken of her to the other stable hands.

“Fourth day! Well I’ll be. He must have done something deserving to ask it of my brother,” she answered, smiling as sweetly as ever.

“Deserving indeed. We usually switch with the duty each day, only having to do so once a week. I almost feel guilty letting him go through with the punishment,” the man replied light heartedly.

“Well. I should say; a punishment it is.” She took a step toward the end of the hall, then looked back. “Thank you,” she said melodically to the young man, and he nodded his head. She looked down to the end of the hall, and back to the other man, and he winked at her! She almost laughed aloud, but instead she giggled inwardly. Then she proceeded.

Each time she had visited, indeed the man had been at work, and she had not chanced to interrupt him long in front of her brother’s eyes. She would not wish him more extra work than Faeldor had given him already!

However, this time, the Stablemaster was not here. Certainly he allowed his other workers to have some moments free when people came to visit them; for Faeldor was not an unreasonable man when dealing with most; only when dealing with his sisters, it seemed.

She finally found him, almost near the end of the stable. Perhaps he was close to finishing his work for the day; or perhaps he was only halfway through. She could not tell without asking, it was certain. Narbeleth knew the horses well though; and this one had been here at time, and was indeed gentle. It would do no harm to enter the stall with him; so without a word, she bit her lip, and silently opened the latch, taking a careful step in, and shutting it behind her.

She did know better than to touch a man while he was intent in his work though, so instead of letting one finger upon his shoulder while he went, she simply smiled leaning against the wall, playing with the folds of her dress. She watched him for some moments, admiring his muscular arms straining beneath his rolled shirt sleeves. Oh, a handsome man he was. The thought sent a warm feeling to her stomach.

Then she could wait no longer for him to turn and see her; for she was too glad to see him. Her voice was light and beaming. “Calon. One of the stable hands did wink to me when I asked after you. Why do you think he did that?”

[Calon]

It had been a tiresome morning. A long one, at that. Calon had been in the stables since before dawn that morning. Faeldor had, unfortunately, called him in at such an hour often as of late; it was beginning to wear even Calon’s friendly nerves thin. He did not protest, indeed he knew it would do him little good. Instead he bore it like a man, and sought to prove to the horse master that he was not a man of no discipline.

So that perhaps, one day, he would trust him with his sister fully.

But so far, Calon thought angrily as he began to thrust his shovel back into the dirtied stall, it had done nothing but make him weary. Even today he had come and handled his position, and Faeldor had not even come in today.

Other men had offered to take the duty today, or aide him. He had been working on it all morning, and most of the afternoon; he still had a good five or six more stalls to do. But the man in Calon turned them down. He could handle such a task: he would have to.

Would it do to speak with the stable master? This was hardly fair. All of this, and the young man had barely even touched Beleth. Perhaps if he made it so that he deserved it…no. The idea left him immediately. He was not a man of such practices.

If he had to shovel manure until the end of days to prove it to Faeldor, he would. And so, he kept his work going.

“Calon. One of the stable hands did wink to me when I asked after you. Why do you think he did that?”

He wheeled around, surprised. He had not heard her enter at all, though for a moment almost protested to her presence there. Beleth visiting him in the stables was a lovely breath of relief. Oh, but she looked ever so nice in her grey dress. She needed not to be in the manure-covered stall.

And indeed an awareness of his own state settled in on him. Still, he smiled to her and stopped his work for a time. “Did he, now? I cannot imagine why.” His voice was light, though a bit labored for his breathing and exertion.

“I have been working, you see. I would not know the affairs of any of the other men.” He grinned a bit boyishly, as he swept his hand over to show Beleth his “grand” working space. Though, inwardly he very well knew what the wink had been over; Calon’s punishment was a hot topic of discussion with the boys.

“If you are looking for Master Faeldor, he is not in today,” for a moment, his voice sounded a bit annoyed, though his eyes did remain bright enough. "Not that I would have you go if you do not wish to." He smiled a slight to cover up his slip in attitude before.

[Narbeleth]

“Oh, I know he is not here today,” she smiled, though sensed that the man was rather upset in a way. Calon’s smile had not seemed as genuine, and he did look a bit tired. “He has good reason, I assure you…” she started, though was uncertain as to if she should speak of her brother’s private matters to his workers here. Then again, it was not simply her brother’s matter, but her own as well. Faeldor and Gilwen were both dear to her. And Narbeleth had found it quite comforting as of late to let Calon know of her fears and joys.

“But I did come to see you. Not my brother,” she smiled lightly. “Else I would not have dared enter this stall…”

“Cal, my brother said to relay to you, that if you touch me, you will be shoveling stalls two hours earlier in the morning again tomorrow. I can hardly think why he puts you to such work… you have barely laid a hand on me…”

She sat her basket down upon the ground, walking toward him. “And sleep, he says, is not the only thing you shall be missing, but your hands as well.” Her face was set in a slight frown. She had seen the man each day at his work, though not more often. She had been on call two nights this week for mothers with child, and helping her grandmother on the others. Indeed, she had missed her walks and talks with Calon.

“So you best keep your hands to yourself, young man,” she grinned, stepping even closer in front of him. Narbeleth playfully pressed palms against the man’s chest; using a bit of force to push his back against the wall of the manger. She could hardly resist herself… she had certainly missed teasing the man as well, and Faeldor was not here…

“However, he has left us a loop hole, and failed to prohibit me from doing as I please with my own hands,” she hummed. She finally let her delicate fingers drag down the dusty arms of his shirt, and pressed her palms upon the back of his own hands, lightly brushing his knuckles with her thumbs. “So we should be careful. I would not wish you to lose your dear hands. However would you take me to a hunt without them? I think… perhaps… next week,” she smiled. “Perhaps next week he would allow me to go with you, should we make no mistake in the meantime.

Were her eyes ever glinting at that fact! Calon had wished to take her now, for a few weeks. Yet, it had seemed unruly to ask Faeldor for such a thing. Today thou, it had almost seemed that he was joking when she lit off for the stables. He seemed in a more sedate mood. Perhaps it had held to do with the fact that Gilwen was there with him. Truly, she knew that the two of them had been through a bit of a trauma before dawn.

Yet, when her brother looked upon a man such as the drunkard who had attacked his Gilwen, and then looked upon someone as fine, hardworking, and trustworthy as her Calon, should he not see the difference? Her huntsman was an honorable man, indeed. Right now, he was an honorable man, with a bit of horse manure smeared upon him, yet it did nothing to turn her away. Though, she did give amused mention; “You smell a bit horrid. I suppose the mucking serves double purpose… to keep you busy, as well as to repel me. Well, I tell you, it won’t work.” Though, she only laughed, and then added brightly, and moving on completely, “I’ve brought you some of my baking. Mother taught me a new recipe today; and I thought you should like to try it.”

Her eyes danced as she looked up at the man, quite content to be on the same side of the manger wall as he for this visit. “I know you must have already had your lunch, but perhaps you might take a short break with me to rest your arms. You are a man, so I know you are hungry…” she suggested.