|| Spring Fever || {Wayne}

[Jazz]

-- Time Tag: Spring, earlier this year. As in, way before the Diplomacy Plot --

Ah, spring.

Almost nineteen, this would be the nineteenth spring she'd experienced, and every year the festivities seemed better, bolder and brighter than the last. Having been lucky enough to have been born near the end of spring, though before the weather became too hot, Holly loved the weeks leading up to her birthday: the vivid colours and cheerful festivties always put a smile on her face. It was going to be one of those days: those wonderful, perfect days with ideal weather. Holly McKaylen felt that nothing could ever go wrong, and, placing her basket beside her, she sat on a bench to rest her feet and enjoy the general optimism in the air.

Reaching into her basket, Holly pulled out some treats she'd bought earlier: a small loaf of sweet bread, an apple and a small packet of sweets. Smiling to herself, she tore a small piece of the sweetbread and ate it, savouring the taste. She surveyed the crowd, pushing her dark brown locks away from her face. It wasn't summer yet and freckles were already starting to spread over the bridge of her nose and her cheeks, but Holly didn't mind. It wasn't her goal in life to be he most gorgeous girl in town - the country gal was happy as she was.

Another piece of sweetbread... delicious. Holly loved these little treats, the small things that made you smile... The dreamer sighed, her hazel eyes twinkling. Such a lovely day... she'd love some company. And while Holly had many friends, few were close to her. And those few were out of town... What a shame. Resolving not to let that dampen her spirits, Holly shook her head slightly and ate another piece of sweetbread.

[Wayne]

Wayne was walking through the crowd, getting a special day off from the king. Those were quite rare, but it was right in the middle of the spring festivities, so shouldn't he deserve a day off? He made his way through the crowd, looking over everything. He closed his eyes and just let the smells engulf him. The smells and sights reminded him of Malorie's Peak and the festival each year. There was a light breeze which felt pretty good.

He opened his eyes and continued walking around. His eyes landed upon a young girl who was quite pretty. Smiling at the chance to impress a girl without being on duty, he walked over. He bowed. "Hello, miss. Enjoying the festivities?" He straightened up and grinned. "Wayne, miss," trying to make his accent more like one of a country person, but failing horribly.

[Jazz]

"Hello, miss. Enjoying the festivities?"

Holly looked up at the newcomer, holding a hand above her eyes to make out the speaker. As it turned out, she had to look quite a way up, herself being of diminuitive stature and the man being quite tall. She recognized him, as would any who'd spent time in the city, and Holly in particular had a good memory for faces. Against all expectations, the Knight Commander bowed. Smiling, and taking it in her stride, Holly stood and dipped a curtsy in return.

"Why, yes indeed, my good sir," she replied good-naturedly. She was respectful, and she was polite, but she was never the demure commoner girl. She'd never met the noble before, but if he expected her to grovel and go into servant-mode, tough luck for him. She smiled up at him. Holly never thought badly of anyone until they proved her wrong, and perhaps this was a fault - but Holly was yet to get into trouble by being too trusting. "An' yourself?"

"Wayne, miss."

She didn't have much of an accent, but she was by nature very tidy and polished, and it reflected in her speech. Her companion's speech, however gave him away, and his attempt to mask it was very poor indeed. But, if he wanted to play city boy, she wasn't going to dampen his spirits. "Holly," she said, smiling warmly in return to his grin.

[Wayne]

"Nice to meet you then, Holly," Wayne replied, glad that she wasn't bowing and causing a fuss about him being a noble. He used his hand to block the glare of the sun. "It's just a lovely day for the height of the festivities. Slight breeze, sun's out, and a day off for yours truly." Wayne grinned. "And you can't forget the noisy crowds, people walking into you, and the feeling of your toes being stepped on."

He looked Holly over. She was pretty, in an old country girl way. Wishing to learn more about her, he continued talking. "So, Holly, what do you do for a living? And where do you live?" He found a flower growing in the grass, plucked and delicately offered it to Holly.

[Jazz]

"Nice to meet you then, Holly. It's just a lovely day for the height of the festivities. Slight breeze, sun's out, and a day off for yours truly. And you can't forget the noisy crowds, people walking into you, and the feeling of your toes being stepped on."

Holly, ever-quick to smile, grinned. "Why, of course. There's nothing like festivities for bringing people together," she said, her normally musical voice taking on a joking lilt. Holly loved to meet new people. She enjoyed conversing, be it meaningless chatter or a heated political debate. She was quite independent, and was perfectly fine by herself, but no two people were ever the same. "Everyone deserves time to enjoy the Equinox." She twirled a lock of chestnut hair, tilting her head to the side.

"So, Holly, what do you do for a living? And where do you live?"

"Oh, my. So many questions! Should I be worried, Sir Wayne?" she teased. She accepted the pro-offered flower, with an elaborate curtsy and a merry laugh. Holly McKaylen could, when the occasion called, be serious. But now was a time to have fun, and it was precisely what she intended to do.
"Where to start? I stay 'bout an hour away from the city, at the apiary. I make the honey," she said, winking. Everyone knew the apiary, so Holly had no qualms in revealing where she loved. 'The honey', too, was known by the masses. Doubtless the man knew McKaylen Honey. "You? Tired of spendin' all your time up on the big hill?"

[Wayne]

"Oh, my. So many questions! Should I be worried, Sir Wayne?"

Wayne laughed. "No, miss." He enjoyed the nice day, glad for the chance to be outdoors. Talking with someone helped him relax.

"I stay 'bout an hour away from the city, at the apiary. I make the honey. You? Tired of spendin' all your time up on the big hill?"

"So you make the delicious honey that appears in the palace feast hall?" Wayne smiled. "It's such an honor to meet you then. The honey's delicious. And yes, I'm glad to be away from the palace. They have me cooped up all day, I barely get time to train or get away from the castle." His face turned wishful, "One day, I want to return home to Malorie's Peak, to visit my home and see my sister. That is, when they give me leave."

He watched a few butterflies fly around and then asked, "You want to check out the rest of the festivities?"

[Jazz]

"So you make the delicious honey that appears in the palace feast hall? It's such an honor to meet you then. The honey's delicious. "

Holly nodded once, tucking the flower behind her ear and making sure it was nestled securly in her hair. "Aye," she said with a smile, "That'd be me 'n my ma. And the bees. They always forget the bees." The McKaylens did, in fact, supply most of the honey to the palace. It earned them a fair bit of money, though most of it went to the expenses that came from owning an apiary. Holly was happy, working with her mother in the apiary. It was fate, she had decided, that she had been born into a business that was so perfect for her.

"And yes, I'm glad to be away from the palace. They have me cooped up all day, I barely get time to train or get away from the castle. One day, I want to return home to Malorie's Peak, to visit my home and see my sister. That is, when they give me leave."

Holly smiled as his expression grew wistful. It was sweet, really. She knew the feeling. She wasn't startled as her new acquaintance confided in her - Holly, too, had the tendancy to pour her heart out to a stranger. "I do hope you'll get your leave," she said, her voice losing it's jesting tone. "And you probably shall. I doubt His Majesty would want to loose his best Knight Commander, for such a trifling matter."

"You want to check out the rest of the festivities?"

"Gladly," she replied, her eyes twinkling a smile. She knelt next to the bench that she'd been sitting on, quickly and efficiently tucking away her things into the straw basket. Standing up once more, grasping the basket tightly, Holly straightened out her pale-blue dress. "Where to?"

[Wayne]

"I do hope you'll get your leave. And you probably shall. I doubt His Majesty would want to loose his best Knight Commander, for such a trifling matter."

Wayne was pretty glad that she agreed with him, on the view that the king should give him leave. He plucked at hie sleeves, wondering what the king would do. He would probably give him leave, but something else bothered him. The king hasn't sent him off on duty in a long time. Sure, he was the Knight Commander and was needed at Corus, but a little border patrol wouldn't hurt. Wayne let the thoughts slip away from his mind, keeping in mind he had some entertaining to do.

"Gladly. Where to?"

Holly's eyes were twinkling with merriment, so Wayne thought it fit to return a smile. "I don't know. It's a big place," Wayne said. "Wait...Since your family makes honey, and of course the bees, wouldn't there be a booth somewhere for your honey?" Wayne paused and then continued, "Or maybe not. I'm not familiar with honey-making and the traditions of honey at spring festivals. And what's in the basket?" Wayne smiled at his own ignorance, and then offered his arm to Holly, so that they may proceed into the festival together.

[Jazz]

"I don't know. It's a big place. Wait...Since your family makes honey, and of course the bees, wouldn't there be a booth somewhere for your honey? Or maybe not. I'm not familiar with honey-making and the traditions of honey at spring festivals."

Holly laughed yet again, taking his offered arm. He was very friendly, and polite. A wonderful alker. Yes, this was going to be quite an enjoyable day. "Curious, curious!" she exclaimed with a smile. "We do have a stall, as it turns out. I'd normally have been here, but I've time off." She winked, then continued, " 'Tis over by the square, if you're interested. Honey is popular all year round, I should think, but it does bear some significance in the spring, what with the bees and the pollen an' all."

Holly McKaylen was indeed a country gal, taught the neccessary things either by her parents or by the school inside Corus. She was, however, very good and picking up things, so her vocabulary became quite extensive. Whether or not this was a good thing is open to debate, seeing as Holly has a tendancy to talk a bit too much.

"And what's in the basket?"

"Hmm? Oh, the basket. Just some snacks for the day, sweetbread and such. Some honey, too, in case I might need it." It was odd, certainly, but Holly had taken to carrying a jar around with her, even when she wasn't making deliveries. I came in dead useful, strangely, but it did. "Would you like some sweetbread? I've more than enough."

[Wayne]

"Would you like some sweetbread? I've more than enough."

"Certainly," Wayne answered. He took the sweetbread offered by her and began walking through the crowds. Trying the bread, he smiled and said, "They definitely don't serve this at the palace! Very delicious. And don't tell me your family makes sweetbread, too."

He finished the sweetbread, feeling quite jolly. Sweetbread at the palace? Well, maybe sometimes, but not as good as this. Haven lived most of his life in the city or in a palace, he rarely got to taste the fresh, country food. Indeed, the sweetbread was a treat. How ignorant of country life he had been! All along, he had thought that living in the palace as a knight was better, with the fanciness and money. However, being with Holly had opened his eyes. She was cheerful, happy with her job. I guess we just grow used to how we were brought up, he thought.

Wayne continued walking, suddenly realizing he had no clue where he was going. This was his first time at the festival at Corus. "Eh...," Wayne began. "You want to lead, Holly? To be honest, this is my first time at the fair in Corus. The only thing I can do is get us lost." Wayne paused and chuckled, then began. "I've no clue where we're going. Or we can just wander around and look at the pretty stuff." He pointed to a bunch of fire-breathing performers at a fancy stage.

[Jazz]

"They definitely don't serve this at the palace! Very delicious. And don't tell me your family makes sweetbread, too."

"Unfortunately not," Holly replied with a small chuckle. How interesting - the man, a knight, probably lived in the palace most of his life - he seemed positively a newcomer to the bustling city. Holly didn't live here, and she knew it like the back of her hand - though, upong second thoughts, she might as well, judging by the amount of time she sepnt in the city. "Strictly bee products. Although that is very odd. Pardon me for saying, but I do believe the palace kitchens should branch out, if they aren't ever serving anything knew. Mark you, the servants probably enjoy these little 'delicacies' (sp?)."

Here was Holly's main problem, when it came to talking. Although she definately did, it was not talking too much, nor was it that she had no understanding of the language. Far from it. She simply failed to truly explain what on earth she meant, and therefore sometimes came off as whimsical, easily distracted. It was somewhat of a fault, though some found it endearing.

"You want to lead, Holly? To be honest, this is my first time at the fair in Corus. The only thing I can do is get us lost. I've no clue where we're going. Or we can just wander around and look at the pretty stuff."

Holly laughed, following his gaze to the performers. With the Equinox in a week, the Players and other freestanding performers were in their prime. "Pretty stuff, indeed. Oh, this is simply a shame. I've seen you ride around the City, with your men, and you've never been to the spring fair? My, you have missed out of some." She shook her head in mock disapproval. "Well, there's only one thing for it. Come on."

Taking charge, Holly pulled him by the hand, until they stood in the center of the square. "My, my. Let's see. It's no good looking at the pretty stuff, if you don't know where it is. Never dreamed I'd be playing a tour guide - we'll start over here."
Holly, being small of stature already, was dwarfed in comparison to the Knight Commander. It was a sight to behold, a country lass dragging around an esteemed knight, pointing out various things.

[Wayne]

"Pretty stuff, indeed. Oh, this is simply a shame. I've seen you ride around the City, with your men, and you've never been to the spring fair? My, you have missed out of some. Well, there's only one thing for it. Come on. My, my. Let's see. It's no good looking at the pretty stuff, if you don't know where it is. Never dreamed I'd be playing a tour guide - we'll start over here."

Wayne laughed, happy that he had such a merry guide. He had been to the fair once, but that was during the years he was still a page and squire. But since then, the fair grew so much nicer, in his opinion. And who knows why he didn't come to the past few spring festivals? He says the king keeps him, but in truth, he always had the option to participate in any city festivities. Wayne wondered with amusement: Maybe I'm finally letting go of letting my friends down? He nudged the thought away.

Feeling himself drifting away in memories and his own uncanny silence, Wayne slowly returned to the present, trying to focus on what Holly was saying. Unfortunately, she was almost at the end of her description and he missed everything. Hoping she wouldn't ask him a question about it, he quickly tried to drag the conversation away, "You don't know how good it feels to be with someone that you don't suspect is plotting something. But then again, you've probably lived your whole life like this, without that much suspicion and tension."

He sighed and chuckled as an absurd notion came to his head. "Wow, I would love to be an apiarist for a day. Well, I can't have that, but maybe, I'll come to your apiary once in a while. And I'm not bothering you, am I? With the tour, I mean."

[Jazz]

"You don't know how good it feels to be with someone that you don't suspect is plotting something. But then again, you've probably lived your whole life like this, without that much suspicion and tension."

Holly once again tilted her head up to look at her companion. She was smaller than most people, and dwarfed in comparison with Wayne. She smiled, inwardly shaking her head. Now here was a person that was overworked. He seemed very reclusive, but she liked him. "And how do you know I ain't an assasin?" she questioned, her hands on her hips. Her eyes sparkled with mirth. "I could be feeding ye poisoned food, and ye wouldn't have though 'twas me." Then she laughed, "Nay, not me. I doubt anyone'd be plottin' to kill me, and I ain't plotting to kill anybody. You need a break from your work, sir. Suspiscion and tension oughtn't be a daily emotion."

"Wow, I would love to be an apiarist for a day. Well, I can't have that, but maybe, I'll come to your apiary once in a while. And I'm not bothering you, am I? With the tour, I mean."

Holly brushed a lock of brown hair out of her face, tucking it firmly behind the flower that nestled in her hair. "Not 't all, sir, 'tis my pleasure," she said, "And you're welcome at any time, really." She was earnest; she liked the tall man.

[Wayne]

"And how do you know I ain't an assasin? I could be feeding ye poisoned food, and ye wouldn't have though 'twas me. Nay, not me. I doubt anyone'd be plottin' to kill me, and I ain't plotting to kill anybody. You need a break from your work, sir. Suspiscion and tension oughtn't be a daily emotion."

Wayne chuckled at the thought of the young apiarist poisoning him. Not likely, for she was full of good cheer. "No, not you. I don't believe you're the type to go poison someone and yet have the guts to approach and befriend them. And I do get breaks. I'm on one now, aren't I?"

"Not 't all, sir, 'tis my pleasure. And you're welcome at any time, really."

"Thank you," Wayne replied. "But expect me to forget about this offer and don't come until probably two years later. Or maybe tomorrow. That way I don't think I can forget or put it off." He added, "As for you, would you ever like to come visit the palace?" He stopped to grin. "Oh, Mithros... From what I told you about the horrors of palace life, you probably wouldn't ever want to come within 20 feet of the palace."

Suddenly he stopped and pointed a few of the clouds above, exclaiming, "Look! That one over there looks like a group of birds, and that bunch of clouds over there look like a clump of misshaped, but are nonetheless, trees. Do you think they got some mages to do that? Hey, I'm not a mage."

[Jazz]

"No, not you. I don't believe you're the type to go poison someone and yet have the guts to approach and befriend them. And I do get breaks. I'm on one now, aren't I?"

Holly gave a crooked smile. "You never know, Sir Wayne, you never know," she remarked. "And yes indeed, you are on a break. The way you're going on, you should have them more often." She tossed her hair out of her face, and re-adjusted the flower she'd put in there. Damn uncontrollable mess, that thick brown hair of hers. As knotted as a best nest, by now. Made brushing it right painful.

"Thank you. But expect me to forget about this offer and don't come until probably two years later. Or maybe tomorrow. That way I don't think I can forget or put it off. As for you, would you ever like to come visit the palace? Oh, Mithros... From what I told you about the horrors of palace life, you probably wouldn't ever want to come within 20 feet of the palace."

"You're welome any time, as I said," Holly told him, smiling at his comment. "Although I mightn't be around in two years. Perhapses I'll be found to be the heir to some far off country," she teased. She knew she wasn't, but Holly was all smiles and laughter. It might be annoying sometimes, but not often. Holly was, quite scarily, genuinly likeable. Not many can boast that.

"Nay, not I!" Holly laughed. "I'd love to see the palace, thank you. The most I've seen is the kitchens an' some corridors, and a library once when I got lost." This was, indeed, true. She'd once been sent down to the kitchens with honey, for some sort of banquet emergency. Usually, Holly just gave the stock to the servant at the gates, but this one time she'd been sent down... only to get hopelessly lost in that miserable maze. "And, my good sir, palace life may be full of horrors, but the building is still quite beautiful."

"Look! That one over there looks like a group of birds, and that bunch of clouds over there look like a clump of misshaped, but are nonetheless, trees. Do you think they got some mages to do that? Hey, I'm not a mage."

Holly looked up to the sky, and laughed again at his remarks. Perhaps she wasn't the only spontaneous person in the world. "Nay, sir. They're fair wonderful, it's true, but it's natural." Still smiling, she pointed up. "And there, see, that one seems to be like a fish. And that one is some sort of odd flower."