[RP] A Trek in the Woods

The sunlight shone through the window, so bright that it crept through the curtains of Revan’s room and right onto her eyelids. She murmured and groaned as she slowly awoke and looked around, wondering for a minute as to her surroundings. Not in the family manor ... wait, she thought to herself as things clicked in, ... the move ... and she smiled to herself. She’d packed up all of her belongings and finally acted on the decision to move to the capital of Somerset. Her deep green eyes searched around the room ... which was rather plain at the moment, except for all of the boxes and chests that she had borrowed from the family to move her items. No time to unpack, though, as her eyes settled on the one set of items that she struggled to find last night before retiring for the night ... her newest purchase of a wooden bow, arrows neatly contained in a matching quiver.

For it being so early in the morning, she moved rather quickly, donning a simple linen shirt and pair of pants instead of her usual formal dress. She chuckled to herself, thinking how happy this change of dressing and acting like a lady over the past few months would have made her mother. “Sorry, Momma,” she said aloud, grabbing her things for the day, “I’d make you very disappointed today!” and rushed out of her new little house.

She jogged along the path, eager to be outside and breathing in the crisp morning summer air, the dew still hanging on for dear life to the tree leaves as she went along. The quiver rattled a bit, and she tried to be careful to not completely dislodge the arrows from their housing. But she was excited, she’d needed her new supplies, as James had invited her out to go hunting. The last time she’d gone out on a hunt ... was literally years ago when she got to tag along with her brothers. She vaguely remembered their advice that they would try to get across to her ... but she’d been young, more excited about being allowed to go in the first place and not be kept up in the house like her mother wished.

Twigs snapped underneath her boots as she rushed along, her eyes scanning the area as she looked for James ...

The thick canopy of trees had all but ensured very little sunlight reaches the ground. The forest floor looks void of vegetation with the exception of a few hardy shrubs. James watches the forest in silence as he leans against the trunk of one of the larger trees about.

He wore a simple brown vest and leather pants, matching hunting boots and his lucky hat. He decided not to bring along his cloak that morning, and instead brought along a suspicious looking bag pack that is now resting peacefully by his foot. James brought along his contraption for the SAS Archery tournament along for the hunt, the sleeves allowing only 5 arrows. His old bow hanged about his left shoulder.

On his hips hung a sheathed blade, the black jewel on its hilt glimmering even in the lack of light. The blade length itself is made of dark metal and the blade was forged when James was 10, a ritual every child from where he had came from must complete.

His fingers tapped idly against the hilt of his blade, an act that he sub-consciously do whenever he is waiting. Alicia had asked a dozen times where he is going that morning, and all James could managed to answer is, a hunting trip.

He knew his daughter won't be satisfied with the answer, but the truth is he doesn't wish for her or Pepper to tag along this trip. As his mind wandered off, a snap of a twig nearby brought him to his senses. He scanned the area for the intruder, crouching down to his knees as he did.

The female intruder came into sight. Appearing to be in a rush, her hair wasn't as neatly arranged as she was in the past, and neither was she dressed in the way he used to see her either. 'Makes sense...' James told himself as he got out of his hiding spot to greet Revan.

"Hi there." He flashed his trademark silly grin at her and waited...

She slowed down from her jog to a brisk walk, knowing that she was approaching the meeting point. Well ... she had to be ... unless she got turned around somewhere ... although that shouldn't be so hard ... unless she lost the path she was on. The trees were all very similar to each other in this section of forest, large and voluminous, their branches stretching up to the sky continuously as if they were reaching toward Jah and the sun.

Her eyes darted around the woods as she went along, her hair already falling out of its hastily tied ribbon. No sign of him. She noticed a small clearing, where the trees weren’t terribly close to one another off of the path she walked upon, and headed down it. She had to keep glancing down at her boots as she went, the roots of the trees rising up out of the soil and threatening to trip or hook her boot. Still no sign of him. Okay ... James ... she thought to herself, her green eyes glancing around, where the heck are you? You said early in the morning. I'm usually still in bed at this hour ...

She huffed her breath out a little bit, dismayed at the lack of a hunting partner. Not that she could really claim herself to be a great hunter, though. Revan had a bow and set of arrows, but that didn’t mean a Jah darned thing. She hoped that the bow (and neither would herself, for that matter) wouldn’t just look decorative to James, or else she’d be mortified. Normally she didn’t give a damn about what others thought of her, but this was different. She wanted to be of use.

She bit her lip, a well known trait of hers, trying to remember the hints and tips her brothers had tried to pass onto her. She turned around in the clearing as she pondered the many factors involved ... the stance needed, placement of hands, the steadiness of the arm muscles, keeping the breath calm as the shooter brought the arrow back by their face ...

A man’s voice rang out suddenly, and Rev turned around, gasping a bit and wishing that the small dagger hidden in her right boot was not so small, not so concealed, and was not so far away from her hand at that point. She saw the signature smirk upon his face, and as she took deep breaths to calm herself down, the grin on James’ face unabled her to be angry at him. The corners of her lips slowly started to rise up ... you should have known better, she told herself.

“Jah in heaven ... ” she muttered, taking a step closer to him. “So, Silly," she stated as she noted that he was alone, "... what else do you have in store today? Any more surprises besides hunting the wildlife here?”

"Hunting wildlife? With those heavy footsteps?" James teases her slightly. "You'll be lucky if you catch anything. The undergrowth in these part of the forests is sparse, we'll need to move to an area with thicker foliage." He pointed south and started walking.

The pace of his strides are slow, so that she can keep up with him, as as they walk, James gave her of a few tips, "Walk with your heels digging softly into the ground, you'll make less noise then. And take note of the direction of the wind, even if they can't see you, they can smell you."

Rev looked up at him, trying to keep her face neutral and not to go into a pout as he made his comments. For once she said nothing, biting her tongue as he pointed out the direction he wished to take and she followed him along.

"You know," she said in a low voice as they went along, "perhaps I am a rather lucky individual and you underestimate my chances. I mean ... it's practical to think the way that you do, but ... I have hope." Rev smirked a little at him.

Her eyes pointed downward to keep an eye on where she placed her feet as he instructed her on movement. She tried to alter the way she reached her foot out and tried to adjust her weight onto her feet, trying to balance more on the back of her feet.

However, Rev was hesitant and cautious like a child tasting something new upon her lips, and the twigs and leaves still crinkled and snapped beneath her boots. She normally walked in heels everyday, and the flat sole of her new footwear had already thrown her off a bit. After a few more paces, she noticed the sounds beginning to go down a bit.

She glanced up towards him as he mentioned the wind and the fact that "they" could smell her ...

"Who's "they"?" Rev's voice called out hesitantly. "You were never specific on the exact type of wildlife that's out here ... " Her brow wrinkled a bit as she adjusted the quiver strap on her shoulder, more than a little curious about what exactly she had signed up for ...

"Wolves...Bears...Deers...Rabbits...Wild boars..." James named a few as they reached the edge of the forest. Ahead of them lies a clear field of grass, in the distance, a herd of wild horses and deers could be seen grazing. They could also spot near the horizon, hints of a flowing river.

"And of course...wild horses." He smiled widely at her. James remained under the trees as he watched the animals, relaxing against the trunk of a tree nearby. He doesn't look like someone keen to hunt at all, more like one on a vacation trip to the wilds.

Turning his attention to Revan, James studies her reaction with keen interest.

She grimaced when he made mention of the wolves and bears ... she wouldn't like to anger and kill one of those ... unless the former would be from Sherwood, of course. But that was a matter altogether different, for as they came upon the scene the field and the animals in it, Revan's mouth dropped a bit.

Her eyes glanced all around, taking the moment in as her eyes dragged along the grass to the deer set against the cool grass. The horses behind them, however, were much more commanding, and her emerald eyes quickly moved to examine them. She hadn't a horse of her own, always having to borrow one for SAS training sessions, so of course she liked them. A few younglings pranced about, making circles around part of the group. The elders seemed to be much more interested in their grazing, except for a few mares. Must be their mothers, Rev thought to herself with a smile on her face. She moved past James, brushing against him slightly, as she crept up to view them.

It made for a beautiful painting, she thought as she stood there next to him, grinning and admiring the scene ... until she felt a hunger pang. Why, hadn't she remembered to eat this morning? It was earlier in the day than normal for her ... she didn't remember if she had breakfast or not.

But any rumblings of hunger were pushed out of her mind as she remembered why they were there ... to hunt ...

She glanced to the strap of the quiver on her shoulder, upon which her hand rested, and there was the slightest of misgivings as she looked from the quiver ... to the horses ... and then to the grin on James' face as he watched her thought process. If she had had the ability to smack herself, she would have done it. What were you expecting, Revan Anne? she scolded herself. That this all would be a quick run to the market? With the animal already laying dead and cleaned, the meat all cut up like it would be in Grizelda's shop on the corner of the street? No ... girlie ... you gotta catch your dinner ...

She gulped as she looked at the animals again. "James ... I can't aim for the horses. The deer ... well ... they're alright, I guess ... but ... I can't ... shoot ...," she trailed off, knowing that he would get her point.

Revan grinned as she thought of another thing, and she turned to him chuckling. "Unless we instead put the arrows away, and we instead focus on just running and catching the horse ... think you could keep up with it?"

James shakes his head, "No can do silly. You're going to hunt. I've set up a camp in the nearby clearing that is awaiting us to return from the kill you know." The smile on his face stretches from ear to ear, it might actually seem to be his plot to see her inner self struggle.

"Aiming for the weaker or young ones will normally net you a kill if you are good." He added, his hands folded now as he looked upon the field. "I think you need some practice with that bow and arrow of yours though..." He added and moved to her, guiding her a couple steps away from the tree he was leaning against. "Let me see how fair you shoot..."

She heard his words, and half of her hoped that he would somehow take her up on the silly, non-probable chance of running after the horses. That would have been a sight ... if anyone had seen them, they'd be dubbed completely nuts.

Revy gulped and turned her eyes back to the herd, still feeling James' gaze upon her. Thank you Jah, that I get a practice shot. She reached back and swung the bow around to her hands, muttering to him, "If you were enjoying this anymore than you are right now... I think you'd be in heaven, Captain York." She let him guide her to a space in the trees, and she was alright until his hand on her back left hers. She somehow felt alone.

She quietly fussed with the bow, her hands shaking. She remembered her eldest brother's words ... had it really been ... six years ago when she had last been allowed to go and hunt? Why in Jah's good name had she not paid attention more? she thought to herself, then adding a few curse words in her head to the situation she found herself in. Please don't let me mess up, please don't let me mess up, she asked Jah in her head as she reached back with her hand and grabbed an arrow from the quiver, quickly inspecting the arrow head. She tried every delay tactic in the book, for trying to then inspect the bowstring to then trying to get into a stance every few seconds, adjusting her feet a millimeter each way. Out of the corner of her eye she knew that James wanted to laugh at her and she gulped.

Jah in heaven, why couldn't you have suggested something that you knew for sure how to do, Rev? she scolded herself. Maybe something like ... going over a court case ... or creating a treaty for trade ... or dancing ... or organizing an event to garner activity. The last time you went hunting, you were fourteen years old! And the shot that you got off ... you didn't care if you hit the damn thing or not! Face it girl, you can't even catch your own damn dinner! Her hands were shaking as she lifted the bow, stretching the arrow back til her hand reached her cheek. She pointed it at a tree in front of her, about 10 feet away. No, not that one. She selected another one about twenty feet or so from her position. No, too far.

Had she really been in danger, the robber would have picked her pockets clean and then had his way with her already.

Jah, you're trying to shoot a tree and you're being so picky. It's not like the damn thing will move. She sighed a bit. She took several deep breaths in to steady herself. Just face it, Rev ... you don't want to mess up in front of him ... and you're about to do so ... just accept it and do it ... She aimed for a tree inbetween the two she previously selected and she let the arrow fly ...

The arrow left her bow and whistled. In a blink of an eye a soft thud could be heard. It landed in an open space between the two trees that she was aiming at. James estimated the shot and walked to her side, "Not bad for a first attempt. If you're aiming for the tree twenty feet away that is. Wind does funny things to your arrows, you'll have to keep in mind of the direction." His hand motions the direction of the wind that is currently blowing towards them. He was grinning less now, but his glee is still evident on his face.

As James moved next to her, the breeze stopped and the sound of the grazing herd is all that they could hear. A shriek from above from a circling eagle shows that they are not the only hunters today. James's grin fades as he found himself gazing at Revan, his mind wondering what a young lady like herself finds in a shady guy like him. But a nervous look from her eyes broke the short spell of trance and he looked away, his cheeks redder then normal.

Desperate to look for something to gaze upon, James surveyed the grassland slowly, his hand covering part of his eyes from the sun's glare, and slowly he shifts his view towards the part of the forest where he knew he set up camp in its clearing. But his mind was not on the hunt at all, neither was it on the camp.

Stopping his short survey, James took quick breaths and tries to collect his thoughts, planning on his next move. He walks in circles, his hands folded and after a moment of silence, he suggested. "Well...not sure if you can kill anything at this rate though...maybe I should guide your bow-hand." James returns to her side, he lifted her arms and steadied the bow for her, teaching short tips of handling one with ease. "And I have a question for you my dear," He spoke as he carefully draws out an arrow that is specially marked with a white feather among the other brown ones. Slowly, he strung the bow and readies her aim with her, his body behind hers and his hands supporting her own.

On the shaft of the arrow, a small object was attached with a string...upon closer look, it sparkles in sunlight...a diamond ring.

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"Will you marry me?" James whispered softly into her ears.

She bit her lip as he had offered his commentary, and upon looking for more advice on the matter, she'd literally caught him gazing at her. He looked away, which caused her to look away and study the arrow more. Jah darned wind ... She'd forgotten about that in her haste.

Revan heard his steps behind her, and she looked from side to side as he came up behind her and gently took her hands to guide her. His hands moved deftly beneath hers, guiding her fingertips to the correct positions on the bow. She took a deep breath in, beginning to relax a little with his arms around her. See, not so bad ...

Then James placed an arrow that she didn't recognize in front of her, and she gasped a little, her mouth dropping as she realized what was going on. "Oh ...," she uttered, swallowing hard as she looked to the ring ... her ring ...

It took her a moment before she relaxed her arm, being sure to relax her grip from his and take the arrow. Her breath came fast, her heart pounding as her arms left his, holding the arrow carefully while gently touching his arm so he would relax the bowstring and lower the bow. She turned to face him, grinning broadly at him, and her open hand rose to caress his cheek.

"Yes, I'll marry you," Revan softly answered him as she leaned forward to kiss his lips beneath the canopy of the trees.