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There was an event on the horizon. One that would be social, and a bit easy to find an excuse to attend. Really, it was to celebrate horsemen so why wouldn't she go?

Oh yes, because she wanted to go with a horseman yet wasn't sure how to ask him.

She spent the better part of a day trying to think of how to ask him, if she should try to goad him into asking her (unlikely, the man did seem a bit thick), or if she should just forgo a date and arrive stag.

Lan eventually sighed, resigned herself to fate... and grabbing a few sweet cakes, made her way towards the death encampment seeking the guardian. She didn't think it would be hard to find him, but sadly, one tiny noble didn't exactly blend in and so the mild attention she got had her a tad nervous, gold eyes flickering around to try and find him without asking anyone.

Five minutes later started asking.

She asked and asked until finally, and ashen soldier told her to follow him, he'd take her to where the guardians and priestesses dwelt. Lan followed, frowning when her ears caught the faintest hints of a whisper.

As a guardian was sent to fetch her...friend, Lan set glares towards those who dared look at her and openly whisper or talk of her presence. A few shrunk back or retreated. Some just stopped talking or changed the subject- it was only one or two who remained unfazed.

Lan needed to improve her shaming face. She had an imperial reputation to live up to after all.

With Aeron's arrival she smiled, bowing her head just slightly. "Aeron." A small glance to the one who'd fetched him. As they didn't leave Lan's gaze turned to a glare and very slowly, the other guardian took his leave while Lan stared him down in silence.

Once the other guardian was gone-
"I ah. Well. I hope I have not come to you at a bad time. If so, I can return at a later date. My desire to visit was both unplanned and I came rather unannounced."

She shuffled, disliking the openness. "If not, might I um. Talk. With you that is. Privately. Or in a garden or something if you're prefer! I don't want to impose."

How did one talk to stallions one liked?
Lan had very little clue.

Oh she'd interrupted him. Meditation wasn't something she was unfamiliar with and to have stopped him from doing so- Lan felt a bit bad for it.

Not as bad as walking into a room full of meditating elders but still bad.


Following him into his tent, Lan did send one look back out. She would kill anyone who dared to speak ill of her visit even if she had been lost.

The cushion was welcomed, the backrest and armrest making her blushs and shake her head. "Please no, no. A place to sit is fine. I don't need much else." He was being sweet to her in her mind, but then she also wasn't used to horsemen not of her clan treating her with such a level of servitude.
It was confusing.

Sitting down, Lan looked at the items scattered here and there, rolling over the armor and then the stalk contrast to object of her clan's designs. "It is fine, really. I did come unannounced after all." Smoothing her silks, Lan pulled the small tin of sweet cakes from the compartment in her sleeve, she offered it to him.
"For you."

"Ah, I wanted to, talk." As they were doing. She brushed a stray strand of hair from her face, looking up at him before looking down at her hands, fingers playing with the silk of her dress. "How have you been?"

Smooth.

Oh ancestors he noticed her cheeks and her face and colors on them and- Lan needed to remind herself to breathe. This was normal. She was just infatuated and so, this was normal. She was normal and everything was going to be okay.

"No, your tent is fine. I am just a bit.. well." She didn't explain, instead fiddling with threads in hand.

His smile had her perking up, matched with her own lighthearted grin. She was happy he liked her gift. His face might have returned to it's normal expression but it was still something and it made her all the more 'tickled pink' to know he liked it.
The assertion that she had a sweet tooth made Lan gasp and openly fumble about as she tried to deny it.
"Hardly! I mean. I love sweet cakes and such but I'd buy them everyday. Just on occasion. For friends. Family." I slight lie, she hadn't gotten Invictus anything to eat given his usual habit of just not partaking in meals.
"I just like sweets on occasion is all. I'm not you know, a sweet tooth." She was.

He didn't have to be so near her however, really. She was fine and he had a nice nose and cheek bones oh gosh he was handsome why did he have to look so nice.

"I was um. That is- areyouplanningtoattendtheupcomingfestival?"

Lan's arms were raised, dismissing it. "No, no. I mean, um, yes, coming like this is rather sudden and improper but I was sure to tell others of where I was going and when I would return and I even asked for someone to check up on me if I became delayed!" She rambled, blushing and moving her hands to play with some of her hair, running fingers through it.

"You're hardly lesser, I mean, technically but I don't.. think of you like that? Not that I think about such things often mind you!" She wanted to hit herself, her words foolishly tumbling out.

"Ahh... the festival is just.. It's in a few days and I was hoping to go..." She looked up at him, trying to suppress her blush as she made eye contact. "I have had no stallion ask me as of yet but I um, rather. You see..."

Oh emperor give her strength.

"iwashopingyoumightattendwithmeperhaps?"

Lan's gaze went to the floor, knowing her face burned and she'd just done something terrible because she was a fool and she hardly knew him yet here she was and she'd gone and rambled and-

"......"

She nodded her head, bitting her lower lip to stop herself from asking again.

Oh gods he was going to kiss her, she wasn't ready for that! She liked him but things were moving too fast she hardly had done anything formal in terms of courtship and to kiss was so intimate and sudden and oh no it sounded really good he as cute and maybe he kissed really good and.......

Lan opened her mouth then closed it again, eyes darting from his to avoid his gaze. "I would ask myself the same question... but then I don't quite always know what I want."

Him? A relationship? Just a friend? She hadn't a clue and it made part of her confused while another part just wanted without reason- and that part scared her.

Her hands held in his she gasped and looked up to him.
"Thank you!" Her voice hitched as she pulled from his touch.
"I um. I am glad. It will be fun I think, to go with you. Together. Escorting me. Yes escorting." She stood, embarrassed.
"It might be about time I head back I think. Yes, can't be late for anything you know."

He was so much like conquest in the few ways he let his emotions show at times. Little slips, glimpses into his feels and not just a face that was not until a statue, carved and cold and made of stone. He was still living, still held feelings and thoughts and she supposed, it was why she found him somewhat attractive-he reminded her in small ways of things she was simply familiar with. He wasn't an utter 'alien' from another clan, he just..was. He was Aeron and she liked him.

As he held open the tent flap she smiled at him, knowing her face must have been pink if not an outright red. His touch made her gasp and reach up fingers brushing over his own. He was nice, sweet to her, and he made her feel things she wasn't sure she could handle but at the same time, wanted to feel.

From the corner of her eye she knew they had been seen. She knew already that seeds of rumors were taking root. She'd been foolish in that respect, bold even. But...
"Aeron?" She hesitated, opening his tent to quickly catch him before she left. A small dash, a jump for that little touch of height- The smallest of kisses on his cheek before she muttered a small thank you and fled.

Lan had been chided before for being brash and hotheaded, for being foolish in her decision making. Yet, for once she felt a bit freed. Rumors or not, she wanted to kiss him. And as she left, she told herself at the very least, that was one reputation she could keep up.