The Run of Magic

[vincanity0011210]

"Well I promise I won't dump you into the mud. I may bring the mud up to you though" he teased. "Speaking of your brothers... they aren't going to kill me just for being a man, are they? Cause that would be incredibly unfortunate. And before you ask, I do ask about things that may want to kill me a lot. I like living. It's fairly fun when you get to travel random places and I'd like to see more." Sammael was happy to see the bump didn't take a leg off or injure her in any way and saw that they were close to the forest. "Honestly, this isn't going to take me very long, but the company of a lovely woman is always enjoyable."

Pulling up to the first few trees where there was a stump that was used for splitting the logs Sammael put the barrel down. Before she had time to get out Sammael came to the side and scooped Astrid up in his arms. "See? No sweat." he said before walking towards the woods and putting her feet down to the ground so she could walk. "You can walk, or I can keep carrying you if you'd like that better?"

[Light the Dark]

"They aren't going to kill you for being a man." Astrid said with a smile. "As long as you don't do anything untoward." Though what her brothers would consider untoward, and what she would... well, those could be very different things. She blushed as he called her a 'lovely woman' - he was quite the flirt, she decided... But that didn't make her like him any less. Indeed, she couldn't help but feel happy about his flirting.

Astrid let out a small burst of laughter - even as she blushed even more deeply - as he picked her up. Her arms went up around his neck, holding him tight, as if she were afraid he'd drop her. Her heart gave a bit of a thud in her chest, and her blush deepened, if that was even possible. He was stronger than she had taken him for at first glance, and she could feel his muscles against her. It was almost a relief when he set her down - she was sure he could feel her heart race. Though there was a part of her that liked being in his arms...

"I can walk..." She said slowly, after a long moment. But she hadn't released her arms from around his neck, either... It took her another moment to realize it, and when she did, she hurriedly stepped away. "So..." Astrid said, looking around, waving her hand in the direction of some birch trees, "These will do fine. The storm last month knocked some branches down, so it shouldn't be too hard..."

[vincanity0011210]

“Thank god, because I would have much rather had been a woman. It’s not my fault I was made into a male after all.”

After he had put her down and she let go of him Sammael found the axe back in the wheelbarrow. Giving it a small twirl he looked around at the fallen trees. “Yes…. It would be better to get them first.” He debated using the axe for a moment, but Sammael knew his body probably wouldn’t get much wood back to the house if he did that. If he did it his own way, then this would be done much quicker. He wanted more time to talk and enjoy Astrid’s company before he went off. Because of the way he travelled he rarely got more than a short conversation with a person before he had to move on. This was the longest relationship he’d had in a few months. But there were some things he couldn’t reveal…

“Astrid, why don’t you go look for more of the fallen branches in the woods and I’ll start cutting down the trees. I probably won’t need your help with gathering until I actually get a few cut up.” He explained, hoping she would take the bait and go into the woods while he worked his magic. If not he’d have to attempt the axe or try to use his magic anyways. His heart sank a bit, trying to trick someone who only wanted to help him.

[Light the Dark]

"I thought you wanted to talk." She said with a smile. But at least going to gather branches would give her time to calm her racing heart. "Well, I suppose if we yelled, we could." She wandered off, humming a bit, looking for branches that they could use. "So. What do you do for a living?" She called out over her shoulder, when she was far enough away that she could barely see him through the trees, much less pinpoint what he was doing. She bent down to pick up a branch that would be good to use as kindling. "You must have some trade; you can't live off of just what you can swipe from prosperous farms, or from what girls who have taken a shine to you have given you."

She made a basket with her apron and began to gather more branches of various sizes. Some would need to be split, but some would work just fine on their own. "Or is that what you do? Flatter the women and make their heads all fuzzy?" She called back, her tone teasing. Still, it was true, Astrid thought. He did make her head all fuzzy, though in a good way.

[vincanity0011210]

He almost inwardly groaned when Astrid sounded like she was going to stay. When she began to walk away he allowed himself a small grin. Reaching into his pocket Sammael put on a ring with many fancy inscriptions and a emerald gem in the center. A small flow of air began to circle around him. Astrid continued to talk to him from a distance so he knew his actions had to be quick. Rising his hands towards one of the fallen trees, he watched as it lifted off the ground and remained motionless. First, he moved his hands down horizonally like it was running his hand down a staff and watched the branched all fall off. Using his free hand Sammael formed a cuplike shape, collecting all of the branches and dumping them into the wheelbarrow. Then, using his fingers her began to make sharp lines in different directions to make the air cut the tree like a saw and make small groups of firewood. "I find whatever oddjobs will hold me. I can learn most trades after a short while if I actually try to pay attention to anything. And I don't steal from farms!... usually!" he said with a chuckle. he was almost done with the first tree before he continued to respond to her.

"Taken a shine to me, have you? Good! I'm sorry if your head's all fuzzy, but I don't think that's my fault I'm so damn adorable. And you can't blame me for wanting to make friends with a beautiful gem in the middle of the woods. I'm surprised you aren't already married with a man doting over your every action!" The first tree was finished and he was debating cutting a second tree when he just shrugged, took off the ring, and headed towards Astrid's voice. "If being around me is so straining I can always find a way to alleviate the pressure for you Astrid." he called to her as he came up behind her. "I wouldn't want you to keep suffering in this limbo."

[Light the Dark]

Astrid spun around, a surprised gasp on her lips. "You shouldn't sneak up on people!" She protested, her heart racing once more, blushing deeply. "And I didn't say I had taken a shine to you." Admittedly she had taken a shine to him. Astrid tugged at her hair ribbon, looking away for a moment. But she found her eyes returning to him, and she couldn't look away. "And as if a man would dote on me." She said, trying to continue their conversation, even though she suddenly didn't feel much like talking. Astrid's eyes met his, and she bit her lip lightly. She wondered what he met by his last words. She was distantly aware of the sounds of bird calls, but she couldn't hear them over the sound of her own racing heartbeat, her focus mostly on Sammael.

[vincanity0011210]

Sammael chuckled, taking the wood from Astrid's grip. "Then there must be something truly awful about you I haven't seen yet. I'm curious as to what it could possibly be!" he teased, leaning into her for a moment to use his free hand to move a strand of hair back behind her ear. "I guess if you haven't taken a shine to me, I certainly shouldn't be doting upon you then. Especially since I'll be leaving soon. Ah, disappointing." he said with a somber face before he turned to walk away back towards the wheelbarrow.

[Light the Dark]

She blinked at his back, speechless. She had thought... had thought... Astrid let out a sigh. Well. That had not gone the way she had hoped it was going to. She had thought he was going to kiss her. Apparently he did not like her as much as she thought he did. Letting out another puff of breath, she followed him back. "I didn't say I haven't taken a shine to you, either." She muttered. "But if that's the way you want to be, see if I come up to the loft tonight with a cup of warm milk or extra blankets for you."

She came to a stop as her eyes fell upon the wheelbarrow and she saw how full it was. "How on earth did you do that so quickly?!" Her purple eyes snapped to him, then went back to the wood, as if trying to figure out just what had happened. No normal human could do as much as that in the time he had done it.

[vincanity0011210]

(I have my final projects and work for my final semester of college coming up the next 2 weeks, so I may not be on as much :/)

Sammael whistled a light tune on the way back to the wheelbarrow, hearing Astrid speaking lightly. He couldn't hear her, but assumed it was something he didn't really want to hear. The next he heard an awkward question which he knew would come up eventually. Looking over to the wheelbarrow he realized that he never made up a reason like he planned to do. "Um... shit." he said to himself. Sammael raked his fingers through his hair for a moment before sighing. "Uh... okay. I guess there are a few things I actually should tell you then." Sammael said, sitting down under a tree. He motion for her to sit.

[Light the Dark]

(( Ick. I'd say have fun, but... I don't think those could be considered 'fun'. Do your best, maybe? I suppose that works. ^^ ))

She sat down, slowly, not too close to him. She hadn't thought he would have secrets. Particularly when he had been so up front about being a thief, at least sometimes. Astrid frowned. "What aren't you telling me? Why are you keeping secrets, when I have been nothing but honest with you?" She felt hurt, more so then when she thought he would kiss her but didn't. The wind tugged at her hair ribbon and she untied it in a fit of exasperation. It just showed how upset she was at the moment. She crumpled the ribbon up in her hands, looking down at her lap.