Next Time

Writers: Dana, Eimi
Date Posted: 27th March 2006

Characters: Gleniel, Kiomo
Description: Gleniel takes dinner up to Kiomo, and stays with him for a little while
Location: Garnet Valley Hold
Date: month 10, day 22 of Turn 3

The head cook pulled down a mug from the cupboard and set it next to the small pitcher of klah. "Can someone take this tray of food up to Holder Kiomo? He's requested dinner in his quarters tonight."

"I'll do it!" Gleniel rushed to reply before any of the other, pretty, simpering girls could open their mouths. The glares they shot in her direction were fierce, and Gleniel tried to ignore them as she smiled politely at the head cook.

"All right, then, go ahead. And don't take forever." The cook knew just what kind of a stir the holder was causing among her girls and she didn't want to add fuel to that fire.

"I won't, ma'am," the girl promised with another sweet smile before snatching up - carefully, of course - the tray. Shards...but those other girls seemed so jealous... Again, that feeling that she was coming to know better and better each time Kiomo's name came up stirred within her as she walked along down the hallways. That feminine smugness.

"Ah, Gleniel," Kiomo smiled when he opened the door. "That looks heavy.
Let me take that," he said as he took the laden tray from her hands.
"Come on in."

"Oh - thank you," she replied as he took the tray, a little surprised as she hesitantly stepped inside his rooms, trying her hardest not to blush. "Is everything there that you asked for, sir?" Gleniel gestured to the platters.

"Oh, I suppose so," he smiled. "I really only asked for food and klah and so far it looks like I got what I asked for. And more! I have company too."

She smiled at him, self-consciously smoothing her skirts down her hips. At least they weren't covered in flour! And she even had her long red hair up today. She seemed to be doing that a lot more lately. Braids were too...childish, anyhow. Then her smile fell as the head cook's voice came drifting back into her thoughts. "Oh...I can't stay. I'm needed down in the kitchens..."

"I see," he said, his smile faltering a little. "Well, if you have to go of course I wouldn't stop you. I know you have your duties too."

She looked down. "Well..." Shards... "Maybe I can stay a _little_
while..."

Kiomo pulled a chair out for her. "Just a few minutes. I don't want you to get into trouble on my account. But I would like someone to talk to while I eat. Conversation always makes food taste better."

Gleniel sat down, and gave him another smile. "That's certainly true." Shards, he was so handsome when he smiled.

"I'll hurry, don't worry." He pulled the cover off of the plate and smiled appreciatively. "So tell me," he said as he picked up his fork and began to dig in, "what do you do when you're not in the kitchens?"

She shrugged a smooth shoulder, trying not to look at him too much as he ate. "Well...not much, actually." Gleniel tried not to flush. "I mean, working in the kitchens takes up most of my day, after all..."

He shrugged a shoulder as he took a sip of klah. "True, but you must have _some_ time to yourself."

"Well...I do usually in the evenings. I like to read."

"Me too!" he smiled between bites. "What do you read?"

"Oh..." The color in Gleniel's cheeks deepened. "Anything that looks interesting... I tend to like poetry too. What about you?"

"Really? I love poetry. In fact, I even take a stab at writing some from time to time. Though even in my own high opinion, they're _terrible_," he said with a helpless shake of his head.

"You write poetry?" She couldn't help the shock coloring her tone and she actually looked up from the table to stare at him. A Lord Holder's son writing poetry? She'd never heard of such a thing. "What kind of poetry?"

"I already told you," he laughed as he popped a piece of fruit in his mouth, "_terrible_ poetry."

Gleniel grinned at that. He really did have a nice laugh. Deep. A little throaty. Just a little. "Surely it's not _that_ bad!"

"Truly, if you heard it you would cover your ears in pain."

"Have you ever let anyone read your poetry before?"

"No, never," he said with a definite shake of his head. "And be laughed out of the Hold? No thank you. I'm afraid it's for me alone to suffer through."

"Well...you never know. You could _think_ it's terrible, but someone else might think you're a complete genius with the language." Gleniel gave him a teasing smile.

"Oh no," he chuckled. "I see what you are doing, and it's not going to work. I can discern how you are trying to use your womanly ways into charming me and getting at my poetry, but I can tell you now it won't work." He gave her a considering look, and a slow smile. "At least, not yet."

She could feel her cheeks grow very warm under his gaze and smile. "Not yet?" she managed to get out. **What are you _doing_, Gleniel?** Was she actually _flirting_? There couldn't be any real harm in that, could there?

Kiomo glanced away, grinning shyly. "Come on now. I'm trying to resist you."

Suddenly it was much too warm in here. Yes. _Much_ too warm. Gleniel tried to search her frazzled mind for a reply to that in the silence that followed - teasing, coquettish, serious - anything. But nothing was coming to her. Instead, she searched for an escape. "I really should be heading back to the kitchens now..." Inwardly, she winced, hating how abrupt that sounded.

"Oh, yes, of course. I'll walk you to the door." Kiomo pushed his chair back and held hers for her while she stood up.

Gleniel tried not to rush to the door. And she tried not to look at him directly either. Shards...she felt so foolish! And yet... "Please send word down to the kitchens if you need anything else," she heard herself saying softly to him.

"I will," he promised, leaning lightly against the door stop as she walked through, watching her move with a certain appreciative light in his eyes.
When he caught her looking back he looked away quickly and cleared his throat. "Well, I don't want to get you into trouble now."

"No," she whispered, taking another step back. She, too, cleared her throat. "Until next time then..." Shards - why had that of all things popped out of her mouth?

He nodded and gave her a small smile as he watched her step out into the hall. "Next time."

Last updated on the March 27th 2006

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