Two Rivers Isle [M]What a wicked thing to say, you never felt this way

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@Ulrich was an exceptionally light sleeper, Ady imagined it had something to do with the fact that he was for his entire life a guard. He had learned to be this way. However, she had gotten away from him this morning. How she wasn't certain. She had murmured about being right back and she had left. She knew he would come searching for her, but she felt that she needed to contribute to their founding somehow.

Ully would come looking and probably growl her, but she was going between the trees and leaving scent markers. She wasn't certain 100% what to do, but she remembered some of how they had done it back home. The few times she was allowed out and about near the borders. She slid petite body against trees. Scratched marks in the dirt. Even left water in some spots.

She continued this way. She wasn't halfway done with the one side, when she took a moment to lift her head to watch the sun rise. IT splashed it's golden colors along her icy fur, and bathed her in it's warmth. She smiled at it, blinking brown eyes across the horizon. It truly was beautiful here.

Ulrich indeed had not slept well the night before, but that had less to do with having been a guard and more to do with the fact that he was terrified he may have gone too far yesterday. All that flirting... What if he had upset her? What if she had not wanted it, or wanted more than he could give her? He tossed and turned all night and finally fell asleep an hour before dawn, so that when she woke him with promised whispers of returning soon, he was too asleep to really register what had happened. He returned to sleep almost at once, only to wake up again an hour later and panic at her absence.

Adylaide! he called in a howl, as soon as he stepped from the den, and his voice carried far, all across the territory. Full-on panic was averted, however, as her scent was fresh and easy to follow. He trailed her across the isle and found her much sooner than he had expected to. He watched her wend her way through the trees, rubbing against them to leave her scent and smiled. The smell of her was strong here; she must have been working all morning.

You've done well, he said, coming toward her. Why don't I go ahead of you and finish this side? You can go on and head to the other river across the hills and start there. All thoughts of discomfort about the day before had left his mind, once it had been set with a task.

Ully had tossed and turned, but Ady had been so tired, she hadn't fully registered it. And frankly she was growing accustomed to this place, she felt a little safer than she had recently. Therefore, she slept a little deeper.

A howl reached her across the way and she froze hearing the panic in Ulrich's voice. She turned to look the the way it had come. She warred between answering or following it back to him. Her peaceful moment shattered. She hadn't meant to upset him. Though before she could even  fully decide, he was there. Marching towards her. 

She took a moment to eye him, all grizzle and muscle. She rather enjoyed the sight. The shadows behind him as he walked towards her into the sun. A soft purr left her throat, but it wasn't loud enough for him to hear. She shook her head and tilted an ear forward to listen. 

She nodded. Gave him a soft nudge to his shoulder. she felt she could do that now. He had told her that he wanted to court her, that  meant physical touch. But she didn't press her luck. 

Meet you in the middle, Ully. She called back her voice playful.

Ulrich couldn't help but smile at her touch and leaned into her shoulder nudge. Did he feel conflicted about courting a woman he'd spent his whole life calling Princess and Goddess? Yes. Did that mean he didn't enjoy it? Of course not.

"Meet you in the middle, Ully," she said, and seemed so teasing about it that he almost wanted to make this a competition. It would be fun, maybe, to see who could mark more territory faster.

But this was a serious job, staking a claim to a territory, and they had to be methodical and be sure that there were no open spots along the borders. All right, he said, instead of voicing his silly idea, and turned and marched off through the trees, rubbing his body along them as he went, scratching at the dirt, and squatting to urinate occasionally.

A faint smile lit up his eyes and around his grizzled jaw and Ady felt a thrill at that. That she could make him smile that way, a way that no one else could. She knew they had a lot of things to get through, and everything was new, but she had faith.

Ady shook her head. He didn't take the bait, but that was okay. They didn't need to play. Besides there was so much to see and do. So she raced towards the place he had said.

Body slipping through the trees and she rubbed along the trees and the dirt. She scratched and worked through the dirt. 

She went through the area, eyes picking out different things. There was a small meadow a little past the trees, that she would like to explore in further.

Ulrich reached the bend in the river on the south side of the isle eventually and turned back to find Adylaide. Had she gotten past the hills yet? He followed her scent, backtracking her through trees, and after several minutes of trotting along at a good pace, he found her in a little meadow that he had never noticed before.

I see you didn't make it very far, he said, in a light, but reprimanding tone. I thought you were headed to the other side of the isle. He looked around the meadow, which was currently covered in snow like everything else. Found anything interesting here?

Ady squatted down, but then she was distracted. She was still leaving fur, paw marks, scratches. But she continued closer and closer to the little meadow she had found. There was nothing, but ice, but it was surrounded by a circle of trees, and bushes along the side. She imagined those bushes housed berries of all kinds come spring and summer and perhaps even late fall. She sniffed, at drying branches. Where their dying claws leaned upwards.

I was, but Ully Look at it. Just imagine how pretty it would be in spring, and summer. And berries there's probably berries.

She turned and glared at him. And i've been putting my scent everywhere. I just didn't get to the last spot yet.

Ulrich smiled. Once again, Adylaide was admiring beauty where he had to admit he saw none. He could see the utility of this meadow, certainly. But beauty... Most of the time, stopping to smell the roses, so to speak, seemed beyond him. He did see the point. Well, if you like it, that's all that matters to me, he said, softly. I don't have a taste for berries myself, but they may attract prey here, which would be good. Although... they may also attract bears. Hopefully our scent would keep those creatures away.

Then she glared at him and snapped at him for reprimanding her. He stared at his paws, still smiling. May I not tease you, my lady? Is that not part of our courtship? Must you only tease me with your body, and not allow me to tease you with my words? He was referring, of course, to the day before, when she had pressed against him, nibbling and whining, and driven him mad with desire.

Ady could readily admit that she was a bit flighty, fanciful, even air headed at times. But she loved to look at things of beauty. She loved to find the diamond in the ruff, the pretty things in the mundane. And she didn't mind usually that others couldn't see it, but she could.

She laughed a little. Well, that also means bees will come here and that means honey. Though it is quite hard to get a hold of, but it tastes quiet lovely. I didn't think about bears.

She frowned in thought. Bears were a frightening prospect, too frightening.

She stared at him, and made a soft oh sound, followed by a churr in her throat. She had nothing to say to that.

That is rather unfair of me. And i like it when you tease, Ully. I always have.

He hadn't teased often when they had been at their former home, but there were a few times he had. She much preferred the teasing now. She wished she could do the same. But words often eluded her.

I've never tasted honey, Ulrich said, thoughtfully. As a soldier, I was not allowed treats, except on rare occasions, usually holidays. Your palette is probably much more refined than mine.

"And i like it when you tease, Ully. I always have."

Always, he murmured, staring ahead at nothing as he thought about that. Always is a very long time. He looked at her now, studied her face, stepped closer to her. May I... ask you... Why me? Why did you choose me, Adylaide? I was only ever your bodyguard. We were never destined for this. I know your role as princess always rubbed you the wrong way, but... surely the thought of marrying a prince was preferable to a lowly commoner like me? Back home, if we'd stayed, I would have had nothing to offer you. Here, now, it may be different, but you have... l-loved me for years. I just don't understand.

Ady frowned. She was disgusted immediately at how her family had treated others who were not part of their inner circle. Gods, perhaps even though it was a great tragedy that had befell them. Just perhaps this was a case of you reap what you sow, as painful as it was to stomach.

I will find you some this summer. You just have to watch out for bees.

She dipped her muzzle. I am aware how long always is. But she turned to face him then. And tilted ears upwards and towards him to listen, she had to look up to meet his gaze. She frowned in thought.

Well, for what it is worth. I hadn't realized it was love until recently, or i suppose more to the fact I Didn't admit it to myself.

She curled her tail around her leg as she moved in place. Slowly she walked towards the nearest trees brushing against them, marking while she thought.

I chose you because you saw me. To everyone else I was a princess or a goddess or something that was pushed to a pedestal. You treated me thusly of course, at times, but you didn't treat me as if I would break. You took the time to teach me things. And you took the time to know my interests. You spoke to me as if i was a wolf, not an asset to keep a kingdom running, to marry someone just to produce more heirs.

She tilted her head. I chose you because of your mind, and your heart. I chose you because I could see underneath the gruffness. And no I never thought of marrying a prince. I hated every single prince or noble my parents paraded before me like i was a prize beast ripe for the taking.

She sighed. They were all full of themselves and most of them couldn't have even told you my name. Only that i was a princess . You worried about, still worry about others. You care about others.

Not to mention that i have always found you physically appealing since my first season, possibly even before.

Ulrich sat as he listened to her. As she spoke, she brushed against more trees, and he supposed he should be doing the same, continuing to mark their claim, but he could not bring himself to move or distract from her words. He merely sat and paid attention, ears pushed forward, eyes on her face. And as she spoke, he felt some well-kept secret part of himself begin to thaw, some part of his heart unknown even to himself before now. Was this soft, melting, warm feeling love? And was it romantic love, as she felt for him? Gods, he hoped so, or all this would go terribly wrong.

At her last words, about being attracted to him from her first season, he bowed his head with a smile, bashful. Clearing his throat, he said, No one has ever... cared about me before. No one has ever cared whether I lived or died. I was only a soldier and nothing more. Replaceable. A nameless, faceless wolf with a job to do. Being... beloved is... strange to me. Forgive me if it takes time to get used to your words of endearment.

It was then that it hit him that Adylaide, who was now three years old, would have another season soon. Another heat. As he continued to stare at his paws, the smile fell from his maw. What would he do then, if he did not yet know if he loved her? Back home, females going through their heat would be cloistered and secluded until they came out of it, if they did not wish to have children. Out here, alone, what would they do? She could not go wandering off by herself, and he could not leave her. But how would they get through such a... tempting situation unscathed? The thought terrified him.

He forced the smile back onto his face. I thank you for telling me all that, he said. I hope... I hope one day to pour my heart out to you as you have done for me. Awkwardly, he stood and began to rub against a nearby tree, hoping to avoid an uncomfortable conversation.

Ully simply listened to her. She supposed that was part of his appeal. He listened and he acted as if what she had to say at the moment was the most important thing. Even if he was busy or doing something else. He listened to her. Little Ady. He always had.

She wrinkled her nose. Then they were all fools. And you are not replaceable or nameless, or faceless. You're Ulrich. Take as much time as you need.

She smiled at him, though she dearly wanted to add. And mine after his name, but she didn't, she didn't want him to lose his mind.

Ady hadn't thought much on her heat for this season. She knew it was coming, but that was about all. She would worry about it when it was here. She liked ot think she had pretty good control of it now. If she must she would find a cave to stay in for the 3 to 5 days it took to leave her.

She looked over him and teased. About time you helped me mark this territory, Ully.

Ulrich said nothing at her next words, feeling only more bashful the more she spoke. It would take time for him to begin to see himself as worthy of much. He wasn't quite so broken as he perhaps seemed, but there were still thought patterns there to break, thought patterns put there by a life of being less than those around him.

"About time you helped me mark this territory, Ully," she said, and he looked up, brought back to the present.

What? Ah... yes. Of course. I'm sorry. He went to the next tree and pressed against its solid, cold trunk, and then looked around. I believe this meadow is well-marked, and far enough inside our territory for it to be obvious that it is ours. We should really focus more on the borders. Would you care to walk with me over the hills and we can scent mark there for a while?

Ady understood his reluctance and she was willing to allow him whatever time he needed. To explore his own feelings, and work through what she said as well.

She giggled and smiled at him. No need to apologize. 

Ady moved over to meet him and nudged his shoulder with her nose. I'd be glad to go with you.

She ran forward a few steps and then looked back at him, her tail weaving. You coming?

She was enjoying the marking of the territory. And their conversation. It was not often that Ully would enjoy such a moment. So she liked it.

Ulrich was relieved that Adylaide seemed to be taking his reticence in stride. He felt bad about it a little, too, but the ability to think about all this in his own time was sure to be a good thing. He was not one to be rushed into a decision unless a life was on the line.

He smiled at her as she nudged his shoulder and then went ahead, looking at him over her shoulder. Yes, I’m coming, he murmured, and followed her out of the meadow.