notyetlegend | → IC CONTACT FOR eachdraidh

[From one of the corridors of the keep, Lancer sat in front of a box that seemed to be shifting around constantly. His expression was somewhat morose.]

Merida.

[Strained--] I need some help.

[She pauses in taking care of Angus to answer her locket, unable to help looking a bit concerned. Not just at the look on his face, but the...well, she wouldn't exactly call it a plea, but it was what it was. The box also gets a look before she wipes her hand on her dress.]

Where are you?

Uh. [The box moved. He almost recoiled a little bit.] Just south of the armory...

I'll be there in a second.

[There's a small roll of her eyes before she shuts her locket and throws the blanket back over Angus, starting making her way there. Merida's been refamiliarizing herself with the layout of the fortress since waking, so she finds the armory and then makes her way south. She finds him in a matter of minutes, picking up her long winter skirts to hasten her pace over.]

[He didn't feel like he was panicking, but--the wooden box was overturned and he was holding it flat on the ground as well as he could. There was pattering and panting from inside of it.]

...

[He didn't look at Merida at all when she arrived. Part of him was aware that he screwed up and he was trying to think of a way to reserve that--]

[...Well those noises coming from the box were certainly cause for alarm. Dropping her skirts, she kneels down next to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.]

Cu?

Uh. [He went a bit more still. Inside the shaking box came a few light barks--and some more shifting.]

I underestimated a favor.

A favor?

[The barks make her snap her gaze down at the box. From his reactions, she's almost expecting some kind of monstrous thing rather than anything mundane, and given that they're in the Drabwurld, it wouldn't be impossible.]

What in th' name of...oh just get to th' point.

I don't-- [He huffed, still refusing to look at Merida. He'd see just how stupid he looked just by seeing the expression on her face. Her eyes would only confirm how moronic he felt!]

I don't train them this young. They gave me really young ones.

Aye?

[Well sure she thought he was being stupid but it was a more endearing thought than he probably imagined. Merida raises an eyebrow as she starts putting two and two together, and then she giggles a little, smothering it with a hand. Now it just seems ridiculous]

Someone gave you puppies?

Wh-- [Frustration hadn't quite set in yet, but he was definitely geared in the right direction. Admittedly, he trusted Merida to at least have a form of sympathy for him, given that he knew he rarely required help with tasks that normal people should have been able to handle easily--]

Yeah. I asked for hounds.

Moron must've had wax in his ears then.

[There's definitely some form of sympathy, but she can't help laughing at first. It's funny to her anyway. Merida smothers her laughter, cheeks a little pink as she manages to calm herself down before she reaches giggle snorting levels. She shifts a bit closer to him, remaining kneeling.]

My father had his hounds since they were pups. I know a wee bit.

See, most men would! [The puppies clawed at the box, more curious than worried. Hearing two voices, they were getting excited and Lancer could only keep them pinned so long.

Though, Lancer was close to pinching Merida and giving them their freedom, regardless.]

But, Princess, I don't have a gentle hand, anymore. I could keep pups when I was a boy, but I'd bruise these things and raise 'em all wrong.

Then let me.

[The clawing is worrying her, even though she leans in and places a hand on top of his, resting her other on his shoulder. Merida lets a smile cross her face, tilting her head.]

I'll raise them from pup an' you can take over when they're proper hounds. That way they don't get bruised or come out wrong until they're ready.

[Some of his worry melted away when Merida volunteered, though he did feel a touch guilty with his insecurity, there. He had volunteered to help Culann take on new hounds if his hound had reared pups, but he completely forgot his adrenaline rush that lead to him choking the first one.

Puppies were another story--one he didn't wanted to avoid.]

Y'mean it? [As if wondering if she was teasing just to get her licks in while she had the chance, he began to release his grip on the box--]

I'm not sayin' it's fully gotta be your... [Out came the horde--the horde of puppies--]

Aye, of course.

[She knew the tale, how he'd gained the name he was most famous for. Merida opened her mouth to say more before the box upturns. There's a small shriek before it turns into laughter as two of the pups clamber for attention in her lap, causing her to lose her grip on Lancer and fall back onto her hands.]

O-Oi! [Far more used to hounds with a year or two on them that had the spirit to hunt and chase but the experience to listen to commands, Lancer was at a loss when it came to the dozen puppies that sprung out of the crate the moment they had an opening. When Merida fell back, he was worried the puppies would just scatter and go in all directions, but none of them wandered.

Each and every one of them began tumbling around, trying to get all over the two of them. Squatting and trying not to move, Lancer kept his hands plants on his knees and let them do as they pleased, worried about what would happen if he moved too freely--

His jaw somewhat agape, there was nothing less than comedic in that moment Cu Chulainn found himself unable to speak.]

[Looking at him out the corner of her eye and with puppies crawling all over her, Merida couldn't help it. She burst out laughing again, her hands moving to pet the pups as they tumbled and played around them. There's a snort as she shakes her head, picking one of them up and gently pushing the others off as she shifted onto her knees, reaching for one of his hands.

The pup in her arm squirms, lifting its head to try and lick at her as she takes hold of his hand with a soft smile, twining their fingers. Tucking her arm underneath the puppy, Merida took Lancer's hand to stroke its head and neck, looking at him.]

[There was something satisfying about that gesture. Lancer shut his eyes when Merida took his hand. Rather than flinching, he breathed a bit in concern and opened his eyes when he felt the puppy's tongue licking his fingers. Uneasily, he kept it still as if he were sure it were a fire that just wasn't burning him like it should have.

The other puppies seemed more interested in Merida, who was more lively and entertaining in comparison to the blue-haired statue.]

... [He breathed out a sigh from his nostrils without saying anything, simply holding Merida's hand with one of his own and letting the puppy lick his other.]

[The pup paws at his knee, whining as his tail thumped against Merida's thigh. She gave the fingers holding hers a gentle squeeze, giggling a bit at Lancer's expression. It was actually kind of adorable, how worried he was about touching the pups that clambered around for her attention now that they were out of their box.]

My father's hounds were like this when they were pups.

[There's a small hum in her voice as she speaks, another bout of laughter coming from her as a pup gets under her skirts, coming out the other side and turning its head up to look at them with an almost pleased expression.]

I practically grew up with them.

Nnnn---hnnn... [It took a great deal of focus. Handling a spear or a sword was easy. The grip was meant to fit in his fingers and it was tough enough not to break even with a harsh swing, but puppies were the same as babies, weren't they? The memory he had of his newborn daughter and all the women laughing came right back and he turned bright red just thinking of it all.

What a shameful person he was.]

They were... how many did you have?

[He was trying to act casually, now making a move to pet the puppy pawing at his knee. Rather than using his hand as Merida seemed to try to get him to do--he simply pet it with one finger, as if it made a huge difference.]

Two, a dog an' a bitch.

[They'd had their puppies, but those had been handed off to other clansmen and trained for hunts, but it was them that she'd been shown how to rear. There's more laughter as she sees how red his cheeks are - it's a refreshing change, usually she's the one with her skin as bright as an apple. The puppy whines through its nose at the one fingered petting, tipping its head to lick at Lancer's hand.]

→ IC CONTACT FOR eachdraidh

February 1st - Video

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