Arranged Allegiances - 1x1 (Don't delete!)

[Cloudsong]

Giovanna could sense that she had almost invaded his thoughts, and felt slightly guilty. Obviously Ean was re-living memories, being in this place. She felt bad for interrupting what seemed to be a bad moment for him, and silently she looked down as he turned away. What exactly had happened here that brought him such bad memories? She wish she could ask. However, she could sense that it wouldn't be a very courteous thing to do. So instead she just swallowed, and murmured quietly; "I can see that."

She half-wished that she could take his hand again, or pull him into a hug. Seeing Ean so hurt, and sad made her heart ache for a reason that didn't quite make sense. Even though they had agreed to stop fighting entirely, and were friends now, something told her that he wouldn't appreciate her touching him. "Do you want to talk about it?" She wasn't sure what else to say, for she knew that he probably would want to keep his thoughts to himself. After all, who was she but an intruder in his memories? That, and the person he had at one point in his life despised.

[FoldєdPapєrHєarts]

Ean studied her for a few moments, the world around them silent aside from the occassional dripping of water. She actually seemed to care about what was bothering him. It was actually rather nice, but Ean would never admit to thinking that. But was it so obvious, that something was bothering him. He always tried his hardest to hie whatever he may be feeling, but somehow Giovanna could see through his walls. That was quite the achievement, in his opinion, for no one else could say they could do the same. Well, perhaps his youngest sister, but that was it.

"Maybe I should," he muttered thoughtfully, his brow furrowed. He took a few moments to look into the pool of water before sighing softly. "I came here when I was about ten, with a boy I'd just met named Martyn. He was from Anima, and needless to say he was pretty adventerous. After hours of complaining, he finally convinced me to come up here and look around these caves. When we found this place, we thought it was wonderful; it could be our little hideout, or something of the sort," Ean smiled slightly, ducking his head. He had been young, after all. "And we wanted to see where all this water was coming from," he nodded his head towards the dripping water above, "so Martyn had the bright idea of trying to climb one of these walls so we could get a look."

Ean paused here, and he grimanced, his gaze now lowered to the floor. His voice was somber when he spoke again. "Needless to say, it wasn't the brightest idea. Not even halfway up, we both fell. I nearly died, and Martyn broke his leg. We never spoke again." Ean kicked a small rock near his foot and it rolled into the pool of water, sinking down to the bottom. He pursed his lips, surprised he had just told her all of that. Turning to her, he smiled, but it was forced. "Did you not ever wonder where I got this scar from?" he pointed to the scar next to his eye, then lowered his hand once more. His eyes were rather sad.

[Cloudsong]

Giovanna listened intently, not wanting to interrupt his tale. She felt honored that he was telling her any of this; I expected him to turn down my request. It was surprising to her, but she tried not to let it show on her face. Instead she just watched as he spoke, imagining the scene before her. So he had had a friend from Anima? This was quite interesting, as Ean had made it clear on the first day that he hated everyone from the city. Perhaps this experience with Martyn was what molded that opinion. She didn't know who the boy was; it was impossible to know everyone from the kingdom. But she felt sure that Ean had taken his anger out onto the city itself.

"I - I did wonder," she admitted, her voice hesitant. "But I never imagined that this could have been the reason." I thought it was from a sword fight or - or... something. She lowered her gaze, seemingly thoughtful. "I'm sorry about what happened. But why have you never tried to see him again?" True friends would not stop talking over a little disagreement; in fact, an experience like that would make their friendship stronger.

[FoldєdPapєrHєarts]

Ean smiled slightly bitterly at her response, but his eyes were burning. "No, I haven't. Why would I? It was his fault we went up here in the first place. He said it would be fun to explore these caves, and we might find something exciting. And it had been his bright idea to try and climb the wall. He was a year older than me, he should have known better. He should have known we would get hurt. I just went along with it, because I didn't know any better...We should have just left, and not done anything stupid."

His voice was angry, and he said that all in quite a rush. It was as if Ean had been waiting all this time to actually let his anger out, to get everything off of his chest. And yet, he was still angry. He had almost died because of a bad decision. Yes, it had been as much his own decision as Martyn's, but Ean would always blame the boy from Anima, for it had been his idea after all.

[Cloudsong]

His response only confirmed Giovanna's suspicions. So he did take out his anger towards Anima itself. Perhaps he was right in the sense that it had been a stupid idea, but it seemed almost as if he were over-reacting over it. Yes, he had almost died from it, and had a scar to prove it, but was that really a reason to fuel such anger? I've gotten into trouble often too. I almost died a few times too. But I would never be so angry, or try to find an outlet to blame. Silently she lowered her gaze, not really wanting to argue about it further. Ean was very effected by it, and half of her suspected that he was not telling her everything, for she wanted to believe that there was something else - some other thing that had happened that night, that had really effected him.

"But you were also at fault, Ean," she said finally. "A decision like that makes two; I know it's easier to focus all the blame on the other person, but if you would have just said no, then Martyn probably wouldn't have gone up there." Her voice was quiet.

[FoldєdPapєrHєarts]

Ean rolled his eyes, scoffing. He had heard that before, from practically everyone he had told. Well, the few people he had told, rather. He hadn't told very many people; his mother, a couple of his friends, and a few of his sisters, and now Giovanna, but that was it.

It was nothing new, hearing that, though. It did not change how he felt about the entire situation; no matter what the others said, he blamed Martyn. Martyn would have gone regardless, he knew, and Ean would not have been able to find his way back out alone. So he had gone along with it. Martyn had been a fool, Ean had already decided that long ago. The moment he had woken up, his head wrapped tightly in bandages and his entire body aching like crazy, he had sworn to himself he would never have another friend from Anima. And until Giovanna, who was barely his friend, he had kept up that promise to himself.

"Yeah, yeah. I've heard that a dozen time, thank you very much." Ean seemed to simply be shrugging off her words.

[Cloudsong]

Seeing him roll his eyes stung her. It was as if he were returning to his attitude when they had first met. Giovanna sighed, and shook her head. "No problem... I guess." Her tone was slightly subdued, as if she were thinking about something else. "Ean, let's just-" Her voice was cut off by an eerie howl, coming from the tunnels. Her eyes widened, and she was instantly at his side, seeming afraid. "What is that?" she hissed, pressing up against him. When it came to fighting, she was pretty much hopeless.

The sound came again; this time louder, as if whatever the animal was, it was gaining on them. "Are they... wolves?" By the tone in her voice, she was afraid; terrified, even. Because whatever it was, it was coming.

(XD Fail post. WB~)

[FoldєdPapєrHєarts]

( It's cool, I have it too haha. x3 We'll make it work though haha. ^^ )

Ean sighed softly. He could tell it had offended her, by his words or his actions or his attitude, or possibly all three of those things. Whatever he had done, he felt bad, but only slightly. He'd only been speaking his mind, after all. However, he had noticed that lately whenever he spoke his mind, it didn't always result in the best outcomes. He would have to work on that, he mentally decided.

He suddenly found Giovanna pressed up against his side, alerted by a loud howl that did not sound very far away. And the sounds were getting closer by the second, if he was hearing them correctly. "I don't know," he whispered, when she asked what the noise was. When she suggested that it might be wolves, he shrugged slightly in reply. "That's what it sounds like," he said. Normally he would have been amused by her fear, but not now. She seemed genuinely terrified and Ean could not blame her; if it really was wolves, they were dead for sure. "Er, it'll be okay," he said in a failing effort to comfort her.

[Cloudsong]

Giovanna seemed to notice he uncomfortable Ean looked at her closeness.  It didn't she in her features, however; she had become quite skilled at hiding her emotions.  Instead of feeling hurt, she felt herself almost swallow her fears.  He didn't seem very scared at the prospect of meeting it he delay creature, so she decided that there was no reason why he should be braver than she.  Silently she stepped away from him, and swallowed.  "Well then," she said quietly.  "Let's go, before it - whatever it is - comes."  Her voice was strong, much unlike it had been before, when she had showed fear.  

The sound was still coming towards them, and she leaned forward slightly, as if trying to determine which direction it was coming from.  After only a mere second of listening, she cringed.  The tunnel where the howling was sounding from was the one they had come from.  Although she wasn't sure where the other tunnels led to, one of them had to let out. And she felt certain that meeting them in the tunnel would be their death sentence.  "Do you know any other way to get out?" she asked, her voice barely audible.  Ean had only been here once, and a small part of her doubted that he knew an alternate exit.

[FoldєdPapєrHєarts]

Ean's previously calm expression turned to a slightly desperate, fearful one. He could tell that Giovanna had figured it out as well; they were practically trapped. For the howling and scratching and growling sounds were coming closer, and were all coming from the same place - their only exit, the tunnel in which they'd entered. It had been a terrible mistake, taking her here. Ean regretted it emensly. And from the sound of all the noises, there were many of the animals, which were most likely wolves. They were dead for sure, unless they could figure out another exit.

All of a sudden, it hit him. Ean swallowed slightly and his gaze traveled upward. "There has to be another way out," he said, his voice just above a whisper. There was no way he was going to try going up the walls again; he wouldn't let Giovanna do it either. They were already in enough danger because of him and his stupid decision, and he was not about to make another one. "Perhaps we could go through the tunnels and find a different way out?" he suggested lightly, his eyes still on the opening above them. He knew that would not work, but he had to say it. Anything but the opening above their heads, anything but that...