Polo and Alpha :D]] Highwayman

He looked up at her as she brushed the tear away and smiled. Accepted her statement with a smile and a light blush now that he finally got a good look at her face, she was very beautiful. He felt a crush now but knew she was engaged by the ring sparkling in the moonlight on her finger. He sighed but held the smile. When he suddenly fell back he let out a laugh as they tumbled into the water below and he came up shaking the water from his eyes and hair. "Oh thanks a lot!" He laughed and gently splashed over at her.

In the time that Gary was submerged, Sathina began to free herself from the heavy, long dress that she wore. She squirmed free - shamelessly revealing her white cotton underdress - and tossed the burgandy velvet aside, then kicked off her shoes and dashed on pale bare feet to the riverbank, diving gracefully in.
Such actions were, of course, far beyond inappropriate - and certainly out of character for a lady such as herself.
Or so it would seem...
In actual fact, Sathina was far from a lady - and she was glad to take this opportunity to rebel from the mould she had been forcing herself into, and just be Sathina for once...
She felt the cold water burn at her skin as she was submerged - the current tugging at the light material of her dress.
When she surfaced, the semi-transparent underdress clung tightly to her slender form - barely masking her underwear - yet Sathina seemed not to care in the slightest.
"My pleasure." She said silkily to Gary, one corner of her mout lifting in an uncharacteristic smirk.

He smiled and shook his head. "You know, you're one of a kind. I gotta admit." He said with a smile and stood up as the water dripped from his leather and his cloth undershirt stuck to his skin outlining everything that was under it. He looked upriver then down river. The night was quiet now. "See this is what i missed, when people saw me for who i was. I remember having this much fun with my sisters" He said longingly. "But that would be the last time i know that"

Sathina smiled mysteriously, but said nothing. He didn't know just how 'one of a kind' she really was... Her hand moved subconsciously to cover the mark above her navel, though the wet cotton his it well enough.
Nobody could ever find out. Not again...
Sathina was startled from her thoughts when Gary suddenly began speaking, and she stood - dripping quietly - and listened to what he had to say.
"See this is what I missed, when people saw me for who I was. I remember having this much fun with my sisters. But that would be the last time i know that."
"I am sorry." Sathina murmured quietly, "People are cruel... It must be hard for you. I can scarcely imagine what it must be like, for people to despise you out of no fault of your own..."
With this last sentence, a badly disclosed note of sarcasm entered Sathina's voice. Her own ears detected it, and she mentally cursed herself for her carelessness. It was just a subtle hint of untruth in her voice, but enough to prove potentially risky if Gary was sharp enough to pick up on it.
She knew exactly what it was like... But naturally, she did not want anybody else to know that. She had worked far too hard to leave it all behind her.

"Okay so I think my time is up," He said and turned around with a smile, "My life story is as far as it can go without me thinking of the future. What do you say you tell me a little about yourself?" He asked and truged through the water back to the flat rock where the cool wind swept over him drying him. But underneath that...there was something else he was doing that he risked but it was freezing in his opinion. Being the middle of october it was cold. Inside he brought his body temperature up. Using this once in a while he'd be fine. Then he focused on the droplets of water and they began to draw out and away from his body falling down the rocks drying him quickly

Sathina followed Gary to the riverbank and scrambled agilely out. It was impossible to complete such an action gracefully, but her movements were certainly lithe.
She pulled herself onto dry land, and shivered slightly when the cold breeze struck her.
Without pausing to think, she tugged her wet underdress over her head - leaving her standing for a moment in naught but her soaking underwear. It did not occur to her to feel embarrassed - she merely picked up her dry velvet dress and wrestled herself into it - struggling with it sticking on her wet skin.
"There's not much to tell." She replied breathlessly, grunting slightly as she tugged out a stubborn crease in the dress.
"I arrived here when I was sixteen, and I've lived here ever since. Last year I met Darthol... He proposed a couple of months ago, and now we're engaged. My life is rather a simple one. Uneventful, if you will."
The part I just told you about, in any case.
Sathina glanced briefly toward Gary, frowning slightly as she felt the tingly haze of magic in the air surrounding him.
Slowly, a satisfied smile curved her lips.
He was a mage. She's had a feeling... She glanced away, lifting her hand to her mouth in a fake cough to mask her triumphant grin.
Finally... It had been so long since she had last seen a mage!

He smiled and kept his eyes down as she changed. Though in the back of his mind he was scowling you deserve better than him he thought and sighed. He looked back up at her and stood. "Listen. It's getting very late and I'd hate to get you back later than it is." He said gathering his jacket. That and the fact he felt another presence that made him uncomfortable to be out here with her and be safe.

"Of course." Sathina agreed politely, "Thank you for bringing me here." Her lips formed that same rehearsed smile that they knew so well, and Sathina bundled her wet underdress into her arms.
It was as though somebody had flicked a switch in her mind, and turned her back into the lady she was supposed to be. Truthfully, she had resented Gary's unspoken implication that she could not look after herself, simply because of the lateness of the hour. Of course, he couldn't possibly know that she had spent years training her body and mind, and defending herself against man and beast alike as she wandered the empty lands... She missed nothing of those days, except perhaps the freedom. But it had been harsh and lonely... In a way, she was almsot grateful for Gary's protection, even if she thought she didn't need it. It meant she had company.
So, she allowed some warmth to enter her silver gaze - flashing him a quick glance of gratitude before falling into step beside him back toward the tavern.

With her being so close, inside he began to panic and bring his temperature down before she noticed with success. now it was back to normal. He walked with her and smiled softly he wasnt going back inside any time soon, he was going to have a little fun tonight out in the cold. He needed to stretch his legs, all four of them if he felt like it. He saw the town lights come into view and smelled the food being made at the tavern.

When they arrived back at the tavern, Sathina bode Gary farewell, then set off to check on Darthol. He was asleep on his bed, and he reeked of vodka and urine. Sathina wrinkled her nose, and threw the floor rug over his statue-like form in an attempt to mask his stench.
After her brief taste of freedom, she was reluctant to spend the night in here with Darthol, but she accepted that she had to, regardless of her wishes.
She changed into a lightweight nightgown, then crawled into the large queen-size bed beside her fiance, wrinkling her nose at the smell of him. She pushed him slightly away from her with her foot, and he moaned softly in his sleep, then belched. With a snort of disgust, Sathina felt her lips pull back in a snarl, and her fingers reached automatically for the silver shaving knife on the ornate mahogany table beside the bed.
She loathed Darthol... And with each passing night, the desire to dispose of him grew.

He let her go upstairs to the rooms and sighed softly. With a smile he bowed her way with a wink and turned to walk away when she was safe in her room..well safe was an overstatement in his mind. Especially with that guy. The anger soon returned to him and he made a beeline for the open window and jumped phasing in mid flight as he landed on four paws that carried him towards the woods, his pads burning each spot he stepped on. This was bottled up anger he had to let out. The only time he controlled fire was in this form. Wind, water and earth could be controlled as a human. This was his feral phase. He reached the tree line and let out a howl to the bright moon that cast its bleaching light down on the world.

That night, Sathina drifted to sleep amongst the distant sounds of howls, and a familiar tingling in her fingertips that meant that, somewhere nearby, magic was at work. It was a feeling unfelt to her for quite some time, and feeling it now, she knew that it was Gary's doing. The thought pleased her greatly, and by the time she was sleeping, a smile had adorned her lips.

The next morning, however, Darthol woke with a severe hangover, and wasted no time in putting Sathina to work. She did his bidding dutifully - fixing hangover remedies, which he spat out due to the putrid taste, often spraying her with the vile stuff.
But the time she finally resorted to some painkiller tablets, Sathina's patience was wearing thin.
"That took you long enough!" Darthol snarled as he took the first tablet from her, swallowing it in a gulp of water.
Sathina's expression darkened momentarily, and before Darthol could notice, she replaced the painkiller in her outstretched palm with a sleeping tablet.

Not a few minutes later, Sathina left the room. The weather was warmer, so she wore a light frock and sunhat today. ((I totally just felt like typing the word 'frock'. XD )) She intended to spend the day in the sunlight... And, of course, she was hoping to run into Gary.

After Gary's late night adventure he was out in the riding ring with Alair exercising him after a long sleep. He had removed the saddle bags laying them over the side of the fence along with his leather jacket and chaps. He sat upon the horse and brought him up to an extended trot, giving him a chance to stretch his legs out for the long journey to the next town he would probably have to take. The equine snorted and his ears perked up, no longer listening to the man on his back but to familiar footsteps approaching. He shook his heavy paint head and now picked up a graceful lope making tight circles one way then the other, Gary holding his neck to each side stretching it out.

Hearing hoofbeats nearby, Sathina made her way over to the tavern's small riding ring, and found Alair circling it in a graceful lope, Gary moving gracefully in the saddle like an extension of the horse beneath him.
She made a quick glance around to make sure nobody was looking, then hoisted herself onto the fence, swinging her legs childishly as she watched horse and rider - a cheerful expression on her pretty face.

Now it was time for the elusive training. This was more demanding. But before he began he asked the stable boy to set up poles randomly through the ring, with jumps as well where he pleased. He looked up on the fence at movement and saw Sathina and smiled her way as he let Alair walk over and greet her. "Hey you" He smiled and sidestepped over to her. "Now hes just showing off" He chuckled.

"Hello." Sathina responded in her usual, softly spoken voice. "He seems to be having fun." She added with a tinkling laugh, watching Alair sidestep, and appreciatively admiring his neck muscles as they bulged beneath his glossy coat. ((*Drool*)) "Would you mind if I watched you two work for a while?" She requested politely, "I have managed to get a little time to myself, and I should like to make the most of it." She smiled slightly, drawing in a deep breath of the fresh, warm air.

"Not at all" He said with a smile and once the course was ready he turned him around and he spun like a top and headed for the poles, some so close it looked impossible to maneuver around but he did it with ease. Though in some spots he slid and Gary was on a dangerous angle on the ground but he picked right up and headed for the jumps. Launching himself up and over the jumps like they were nothing, though he threw a couple bucks when he landed he was getting all excited and went back to weaving though the poles like a snake.

((Sorry I vanished last night - stupid Internet died on me and I couldn't get it working again! -_- ))

Sathina murmured a smiling word of thanks, then sat back on the fence, and watched happily as Alair sprung forward to weave through the poles. The stallion was well trained and athletic, and Gary moved with him like poetry. They were, without a doubt, the best pair she had seen in quite some time - perhaps forever. She could imagine Alair was a wonderful partner when it came to escaping the beasts of the outlines... Her own mare, Quicksilver, had not been quite as agile, and had eventually been bested by the feral things. Sathina had barely managed to escape with her life - but the mare had not been so lucky.
Sathina pursed her lips, clasping her hands together in her lap.
She managed to resurface from her moment of misery, however, when she realised that Alair and Gary had finished. With a bright grin, she broke out into enthusiastic applause - acting more like herself than the lady she was supposed to be.

Both were out of breath and walking it out now to cool off. Gary got off and took his gear off and looked over at her as he set it on the fence. "You wanna cool him down?" He asked her and smiled as he took his bridle off. "I trust him enough" He said with a smile and as he walked over Alair followed right behind him over to her on the fence.

"Sure." Sathina agreed with a smile, leaping lithely off the fence, and obviously not caring that her dress blew up around her with the movement. There was nobody around to see, save for Gary, and she had already decided to act like herself around him. He could relate to her burden, even if he did not know of it, so it was worth the risk.
She walked over to Alair and stroked his forehead, frowning thoughtfully. "Do you have a headcollar?" She asked, scratching the horse's cheek, "Or will he just follow me?"

"You think you're walking?" He chuckled and he wrapped his arms around her waist and hoisted her up onto his back and smiled. "He wont go far or fast without me so you wont have to worry. He listens good" He said with a smile and started walking along the fence.

"Ah!" Sathina exclaimed in understanding, vaulting onto the horse's back when she felt Gary's arms around her waist, boosting her up. "Good boy!" She exclaimed in delight, laughing with a peal like a tinkling bell, and slapping Alair's neck affectionately.
Since she was in a dress, she arranged herself into a proper sidesaddle position on the horse's bare back. It was a little unbalancing for her, since the majority of her riding had been done in breeches, and thus in a proper position - but the experience was exciting for her. An adventure, to say the least.
"Thank you." She said with a smile, glancing down at Gary from atop her perch on the horse.
Of course, if anybody caught her...
This was not the sort of thing a lady ought to be doing.

"You are most welcome" He said with a smile and talked with her until it was time for her to go. As the day went on he prepared for his next journey. Buying supplies, getting Alair shod and a quick vet check up.
Soon dusk rolled around and tonight was judgement night. Gary looked over his shoulder at Sathina walked with Darthol down the road and he sighed. She deserved so much better than what he was giving her. What made it harder for him to decide to leave was the fact that he had grown feelings for her..and he felt like if he didnt say anything now..he'd lose the only chance he'd ever get. Before Darthol would notice him staring he looked back at Alair and finished tacking him up and he nickered softly to Gary and sighed softly.

Sathina heard a quiet nicker nearby, and glanced back over her shoulder to see Gary standing a short distance away, with Alair fully tacked beside him.
The pair seemed prepared for a journey...
A deep frown crossed Sathina's face, and she touched Darthol's elbow gently, "Darthol, I must speak with somebody, shall I meet you back at the house?" She requested politely, her silver eyes searching his.
"What, so you can run off with that Torres boy again?!" Darthol snapped, wheeling around to face Sathina, and jerking his arm roughly from her grip. "Don't think I don't know what's been going on here!"
"Darthol, please, you're embarrassing me..." Sathina murmured quietly, casting a quick glance around her. A few people had stopped, staring curiously, and Sathina felt a bubble of trepidation inflate in her chest. The last thing she wanted was to be the center of attention, but Darthol wasn't done making a scene.
"Yeah, well how do you think I feel, now that all my friends know I'm marrying the village tramp?!"
He spat at Sathina's feet, and it was all she could do to control her temper at this point. Still, she made a valiant effort, and answered in a cool, crisp voice.
"You can't keep me from having friends, Darthol. I am your fiance, not your servant."
"I'm the man, and you're the woman!" Darthol retorted harshly, "So you'll do as I say!" With that, he struck her roughly across the face with the back of his hand. Sathina did not bother evading, but took the blow - letting the pain feed her anger.
She would keep her cool... She would contain herself... But come the strike of midnight, she vowed to herself that Darthol would be breathing no more.

He saw the slap and before he could lurch forward, Alair grabbed his coat with his teeth letting out a equine growl and he tried to get further but he yanked him back behind his neck. Gary huffed and pushed his head away and went to sit on the step by the water trough as Alair huffed back and got a long drink from the cool water. He shook his head and splashed some water on Gary's face in order to cool his anger off. He knew the risk for getting his anger out of control. Alair was always scared of it.