It's still early in the morning, at least to a spring sunday, and very few citizens are around. Those that are, are jogging lonely or picnicing with their families and friends enjoying the clear sky. One of them, though, is neither jogging, neither picnicing. He's sitting on a bench close to the river and, surprisinly, he's not wearing one of his usual tailored suits. He's much more casual which convers him a much less intimidating look.
Sylvana was out enjoying the weather and jogging as she goes. Flying above her is a beautiful Norhter Goshawk who occassionally gives a cry of excitement as they go. She was dressed in a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt her hair pulled back into a tight braid to keep it out of her eyes. She seemed to really be enjoying herself and the lovely weather.
When Ben hears the cry of an eagle, he can't avoid scanning the sky for its source. The hawk is given a smile, but there is no recognition from the man. He doesn't look to be an aviary expert and can't tell if the bird is not from that part of the North America or not. A moment later, his gaze trails off and back to the ground just to find Sylvana jogging. To the woman, if she glaces at him, he waves and offers her a grin.
Sylvana did infact see Ben and she smiled giving him a happy wave. She moved over towards him and gives a shrill whistle. At the whistle the hawk swoops down and lands lightly upon her shoulder. She stops near Ben walking back and forth, pacing, to slow her heart and breathing naturally. "Hello Ben how are you doing today?"
Ben waits patiently and when the woman is close enough, he closes the book he was holding, and reading previously, and sets it aside."I had better days, I must say. But I'm good. What about yourself?" He asks as he glances at the hawk."Nice bird. I didn't know you were into falconry. Interesting."
Sylvana's eyes light up as he actually seems to know of the hobby. "You know of Falconry? Not many I meet seem to know much about it or the fact that to have a companion like this that one must be trained and licensed for such! I am doing well and thank you. My companion is Greyson. Sorry to hear that your day is not the best hopefully that will change soon enough"
"We'll see." He comments before turning his eyes to the bird."Hello, Greyson. It's nice to meet you." He says."I didn't know you were the type that wakes up early in a sunday day for jogging. I'd had come with proper clothes if I knew." Ben grins at both of them.
Sylvana laughed a bit and shrugged. "Well I enjoy nature and as I am not christian I have no obligations on Sunday's." She smiled brightly. "I follow the old ways and so I respect everything every day." She reaches up letting her fingers glide gently over the hawk's breast feathers. Greyson seems to acknowledge that he is being spoken to and looks to Ben giving him a soft chitter and clicking of his beak
"The Old Ways. I should call you a witch, then." He comments and grins again."I never had a religion before. And I think it's pointless having one now. I respect everyone that does, though." He adds a moment later.
Sylvana shook her head slightly and gave him a smile. "If you wish to call me anything it would be a Shaman. I am no witch. I follow the old ways of these lands not those of England, or wicca. I do not consider respecting land, spirit and all beings of life as a religion but more a way of life." Once she has gotten her breathing and heart to normal she stops pacing and smiled to him. "But I understand that it is not for everyone!"
Ben arches a brow in a light surprise."Interesting. I'm sorry for the lack of attention." He offers."Shaminism is a very good way of life. It fits you pretty well, actually." He then grins to her.
Sylvana shook her head slightly and gave him a soft smile. "You have nothing to be sorry for Ben. We have only just met there is much that you do not know about me and I am sure there is much I do not know about you as well. So what brings you out to the park this morning?" It seemed she had gotten used to seeing the real him and so she was not as apt to stare at him as if trying to study ever bit of him she could.
"I was out all night. Partying. Like a normal person would do." He says as he takes his glasses off to reveal very deep eyes circled by the dark marks of the lack of sleep. Plus one of his eyes have the purple circle of a punch."Very bad decision, by the way. I spent a lot of money. Got into a fight and lose a bet for a 21 years old boy." He says sounds slightly grumpy as he puts his glasses back."At least I found this on the trash can." He lifts the very old looking book. It's named 'Alice in Wonderland'.
Sylvana smiled and did her best not to laugh. "I do not tend to go out partying, but then I have not been in a city before that had such things as an option. As for the book it is a wonderful book. I think you will find it interesting. You should also see about trying to find "Through the looking glass" is the one after it." She moves over and finally sits down on the bench turned so she can look at him as they speak. Greyson seems happy to be perched on her shoulder and despite having razor sharp tallons he is careful not to harm her shoulder. "Dare I ask what this fight was about?"
Ben sighs heavily at that question."I don't like losing a bet. That was the reason of the fight. I didn't want to turn on my second favorite watch. I already lost my first favorite one." He pauses and shakes his head briefly."I'm also not good at letting things go." He says and glances at the girl."Old men are not used at that."
Sylvana's head tilts and her brow raises slightly. "What was the bet about that you would risk your second favorite watch?" She asked curiously as she studied him. She could not help but laugh some as he cold himself an old man. "Most people do not tend to let things go well. It takes a lot for someone to give up something special to them."
"He dared me to flirt with someone. I was turned out. I lost the bet, got angry when the younger man laughted of me and gave him a punch." He states calmly. No regrets on his voice."It happened that, in the end of the night, I got a kiss from the person I was supposed to flirt with. Go figure." He then shrugs his shoulders looking tired.
Sylvana could not help but giggle softly at his story. "Well technicly if you flirted with her even if you were turned out you won the bet. You were brave enough to go and flirt. But I understand. At least you did get a kiss at the end for all your trouble. I would say the evening did not end that poorly after all."
At Sylvana's words, Ben laughs. For the first time he lets all his darkness at bay as he laughs with his heart."I forgot how out of the stereotype I am." He says as he recovers from the laughing. She shakes his head as he crosses a leg over the other in that usual classy way."Oh, girl. Who said it was a she?" He asks without looking at her. His gaze landing on the river's survace.
Sylvana's cheeks went dark pink and she put her face in her hands. "I am so sorry! I did not even....I should not have assumed! Please forgive me!" Yup she was totally embarassed that she had assumed such a thing. "I am just so used to men speaking about flirting with women that it was a natural responce. There is nothing wrong with loving someone the same gender as yourself mind you. Gah!" Yup she was just digging a hole of embarassment
"Hey. Don't overact, miss. It's alright. When someone looks at me, it's really very hard to spot it. I hide it pretty well, I once was told. It's okay. You don't need to hide out of shame." With that he leans on Sylvana's direction."Shame is not my Court's emotion and it doesn't taste as good as Fear." He whispers it and lands a big hand on the man's free shoulder and squeases it lightly in a supportive and understanding way.
She looked up to him slowly, peeking through her fingers. Eventually Sylvana gave him a soft smile and a sigh. "Thank you for understanding. It is not usual for me to assume such things." She seemed to relax slightly as he squeezed her shoulder. "Well perhpas since you got a kiss you will get to see him again? Never know when things work out like that."
At that, Ben tenses a bit as his hands leave the girl's shoulder and his gaze returns for the river surface."No. I don't do datings." He whispers as some form of sadness hits his face.
Sylvana frowned at that and she takes on a somber expression. "Why ever not?" She seemed to be confussed by the statement. Studying him carefully her brow furrowed. "You are rather enjoyable to speak with and be around. I am sure there is someone out there that would love to spend more time with you."
"The Fate of those that get too close to my heart is not bright, miss Sylvana. Not at all." He murmurs in a very dark mood and dives in a dead silence for a long moment. The sadness in his face deepening.
Sylvana frowned and pulled her knees to her chest resting her chin upon them. "I am sorry to hear that. I do not wish anyone a life without the closness of another. I wish there were a way that I could help you with such a thing. You look so sad...I never want to see anyone sad.."
It takes some more time until Ben turns back from the darkest corner of his soul. It happens slowly, but when he does, he turns to look at Sylvana and gives her a brief smile."There is something you can do for me." He pauses and waits for her to focus on him."Keep your True Love alive." He says warmly.
Sylvana looks up to him slowly her blue grey eyes sparkling softly as she studied him. "I will do my best to keep Ink alive though I am not sure how...I am not the best at such things. He is a very good fighter though."
"Staying alive is not always about winning a fight. Sometimes, it's about losing too. Or not fighting at all." He sagely says as his gaze once more drifts back to the river."And something in me says you're good at not fighting." He grins.
Sylvana's head tilts some and her brow furrows slightly. "I do not understand what you mean. How can staying alive be done by losing a fight? I can understand not fighting can keep you alive but...losing does not seem like a way to keep yourself alive." She studied him for a long moment. "How is it you can tell that I am good at night fighting?"
"I don't know. I just though it'd be something interesting to say." Ben says very serious before taking a deep breath."I almost forgot." He then says after a moment. Suprise hitting his wicked eyes."I got something for you from the Market. But it's not here with me right now. You should come by the Hotel at some point later in the day so I can give it to you." He says and grins.
Sylvana's head tilts once more "You got me a gift?" She looked at him her eyes widening some and a smile spread on her lips. "You really did not need to do that. I can go with you now if you would like and we can fetch the item."
Ben grins."Fair enough. Let's go to the Hotel." He says as he stands up calmly, offering his hand to Sylvana to help her stand up like a gentlemen would do."I must warn you, though, that my family can be very unpleasant at times. If you see one of them, just avoid eye contact."
She took his hand and stood slowly looking around. She tilts her head some. "Why would they be so unpleasant? They have never met me and should have no reason to be unpleasent to me."
Ben offers his arm so she can hold it while he leads the way to the car parking."My family is made of power mongers, mostly. They treat people well if they see that person as a possible political ally. If you're just a somebody, their behavior toward people will depends solonely on their mood for the day." He explains calmly.
Sylvana wrapped her arm in his and she followed along as they spoke. "Ah I see. You must forgive me. While my families are from here I was raised away from here so I am unfamiliar with all the different families and the parts they play here. I hope that they will not be too unkind."
"Well. If they don't treat you well, they'll have to deal with me. And you know how unnice I can be if I want to." He says calmly as they walk."The Levefre and the Fry are very nice people, though. You were lucky."
Sylvana smiled and gave a slow nod "Yes I think I did manage to have been born into just the right families for me. I have only met one of my Levefre family members but I have met a couple of the Fry family. They have all been nice so far. It has been good and made adjusting a little easier for me. Ink has his own family here as well though I have not met any of them and its his business to say who they are if he wishes."
It doesn't take much for them to reach the parking lot and when they do, Ben leads them to his car. It's a very expensive and classy car. Fitting for the ogre. Upon reaching the vehicle, Ben takes the control out of his left pocket and unlock the car that starts folding the ceiling backwards and into the rear."We all have a story with our families. Some of these stories are good. Some, bad. Despite that, you can always take some good out of it. Like this." He says and pats the side of his car before hopping in."Come on. Let's take a walk." He grins.
Sylvana walked with him and when they reached his car her eyes widened. "Thats yours?! Wow I have never seen a car like this one up close before!" She could not help but walk around the car looking it over slowly. "I do not really know how to drive well. I think I almost damaged Ink's jeep the other day by driving it...but my dad needed help and he was busy with things so I did what I had to do! The grinding sound was very unpleasent" She glanced to Ben giving him a soft smile. "You do have some very nice things Ben..."
"Objects." He says casualy."They're not important. In our world, money is not an urgent matter as it is to the mortals. It comes as we need it. And goes when we don't." He explains vaguely. He then turns to smile at Sylvana."Do you want to drive?"
Sylvana's head pops up and she looked at him her eyes wide. "Oh no no no I do not want to have an accident in your car and ruin it! I really am not that good. I do ok out in the country because there is not a lot of traffic but not in town. I thank you for the offer though its very kind of you."
"As you wish." He murmurs as he starts the engine of the car. The sounds is like music. Every tone coming the right way out of the machine. Ben accelerates is a few times just to try it."Are you coming? This little lady here doesn't like waiting." He grins.
Sylvana smiled and then carefully got in and buckled up. She looked at Greyson and gave him a few clicks and he took off into the air to follow from there. "I think we are as ready as we can be!" She laughed and readied herself for the ride. She was amused and excited all at the same time.
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