Closed [Aquillar Hot Springs] Working Up a Sweat (Pulren)

[Caela Dorin]

21st Fall 514AV

There was one thing that the dancer had figured out. Those who fought regularly were strong. They had the muscle behind the punches they threw or the kicks they inflicted. They also had the stamina to carry out all such actions for as long as it took to win a fight, or at least survive it. The woman had plenty of strong muscle in her legs but her strength and fitness wasn't evenly distributed. She certainly didn't have the stamina, the ability to endure anything for very long so she'd come up with a plan, a Fall resolution of sorts. She was going to train her body so that she would be capable of fighting back against anything that was thrown at her. No point having the knowledge to do something when the body couldn't do it.

Caela had been quite determined to carry out her resolution as soon as possible but had managed to put it off thus far. She'd already procured suitable clothing for use during her training but she'd still dawdled. This morning though she'd woken as Syna's presence became known and had decided that today was the day. She'd dressed in the simple pants, blouse and boots and packed a change of clothes in a bag that she slung over her shoulder as she made her way up towards the Aquillar Hot Springs. The Hot Springs seemed a suitable location. It wasn't in the city proper so she'd be safer to carry out her activities up that way and have an opportunity to get herself clean when she was finished. Plus she was sure to have privacy at this early bell, Syna wasn't high in the sky yet and so there wouldn't be that many visitors to the area that the bathhouse occupied, right?

It took the dancer some time to reach the place but when the bathhouse came into view she was glad to know that her assumption had been right. The place was quiet so it was doubtful that there would be many to spy upon her. She didn't know if anyone was staying in the place at the moment, as visitors in the city were wont to do, but she doubted that any of them would be up so early, she normally wasn't. The woman set herself up behind the bathhouse but a little to the side of it so that she could watch for the approach of anyone. Her bag was dropped to one side, giving her plenty of space to work with and then the woman considered what she was actually going to do.

Planning what she was going to do when she got here had never crossed her mind. She had no idea where to start, had no idea what to do but the blonde was too stubborn to pick up her stuff and march back into the city. She was here now and she would do what she had come here to do somehow. The dancer tried to work it out logically. Before she danced her muscles needed to be stretched out so why not do the same for her whole body? The woman wasn't sure how to go about doing that though so maybe she would just experiment.

She settled for jogging on the spot first, followed by bouncing up and down on the spot, trying to jump up as high as she could. When her body felt warm, she set about trying to touch her toes. Caela kept her legs straight and bent at the waist, stretching her fingers downwards. She hadn't realised how inflexible she was until she failed to reach them but she persevered for about half a chime before straightening and glancing up to see if there was anyone around the Springs. Satisfied that there was no one in sight, the girl continued her stretching. Her arms were stretched above her head and moved from side to side, her hips moving with the motion as well. More bending and stretching and leaning took place until she was sweating lightly and she was no longer self-conscious enough to keep an eye out for anyone's approach.

The woman tried to copy something that she'd seen men do in the tavern sometimes to show off. A push up was what they called it. She lay face down on the ground and tried to mimic the action that she'd seen so many men do. Her hands came to rest beside her shoulders and she placed just her toes to the ground while keeping her legs straight. That was the way they did it, she was sure. She tried to push herself upwards, to straighten her hands but she went up a few inches and then landed heavily on her face. "Ow," she complained at the ground, attempting to lift herself again and failing. The men made it look so easy but she supposed she could understand why it might be a way to show off. It was harder to do than it looked. Well at least there was no one about to see what a sweaty fool she was making of herself.

[Pulren Marsh]

It was the first morning that Palaren Marshall woke up in the bed that Pulren Marsh had been occupying. The character that the young Wave Guard had been playing at was becoming an entity of its own, his work so deliberate in attempting to be someone else, that when his eyes fluttered open it was Palaren who stretched and sat on the edge in the cool and dark room. Rolling his head around on his shoulders, Pal gave himself a good morning scratch before opening his door to allow Syna fanned breezes to warm and lighten the place.

A great yawn left his lips as his eyes tried to squint their way through the light of the day as it peeked through the windows of the main room of the inn. Sliding into his blue linen undergarments and sliding his black linen shirt on over it, he made a point to bring his leather pants out with him, though he felt it was a tad early to slide them on. It was quiet, after all, no one to see him half naked. There was a strange sound outside, breathing in short bursts. It interested Pal, so he slid the leather pants on and stepped out into the day, though recoiling once his bare feet slid into dew laden grass. Returning to his room long enough to grab his belt and boots, the latter were slid on and buckled, the former hanging in hand as he made a second attempt.

Walking out into the day felt much more pleasant dressed, Pal decided. No one else was awake, that he could see, the elderly couple who ran things late sleepers. Why not? If he made it to such an age, he would sleep in too. These random thoughts slid from Palaren's head as if the bottom of his skull had fallen off, however, as he rounded the corner of the main building. Before him, bent at the waist away from him, was the most lovely sight he had seen since his arrival in Sunberth. He hoped her face was as impressive. The extent of the angles formed by this woman incited a riot in leather, the belt applied but he knew it would do little good in any effort to restrain.

Stepping closer, he watched her lie down on her stomach, doing what he suspected was a push up. Too enraptured to be concerned about the leather's clear disdain for subtlety, he winced a little as she hit her face on the ground.

"If you aren't used to doing pushups, you might try using your knees instead of your toes." Either she would and the first thing he had seen would rise again to greet him or she would turn toward him in response, hopefully showing an equally appealing front.

[Caela Dorin]

Another attempt at a push up was made and someone chose that moment to make themselves known. All the strength that had gone into getting her even a few inches off the ground dissipated instantly, the dancer's face striking the ground with greater force than it had before. Groaning, the woman sat up, clutching her throbbing nose which had taken the brunt of the impact. It wasn't broken but it did ache like hai and she turned a glare in the direction that the voice had intruded from. Her body went rigid for a few moments and then Caela was up and retreating a few steps away from the man. He was far closer than she would have expected. The dancer certainly didn't like that.

Her gaze was wary as she regarded him. For him to come so close when she hadn't been aware of him didn't bode well and she imagined that he'd come closer with the express purpose of watching her. Her eyes flitted to the area behind him but it was deserted. This time the fact that there was nobody else around did not make her feel at ease. Not that anyone was likely to come running to her aid if this man had ill intentions but sometimes the presence of others was a deterrent. It seemed that if he tried anything that she'd have to deal with him herself. If I can, she thought worriedly. There was always a chance that she was getting ahead of herself, jumping to conclusions that she didn't yet have the information to make.

The young woman scrutinised him, noting just how far he'd come in this direction with no reason to do so. The only reason could be her and she was fairly sure that she wasn't just flattering herself. He'd been watching her and perhaps her little mishap had been the only thing that could have made him speak. She had no idea how long he'd been standing there or how long he would have continued to do so because she doubted that she would have noticed him. A downwards flicker as she assessed him landed on strained leather and did little to allay her suspicions, strengthening them in fact. Another step backwards as she addressed him.

"It's not very polite to watch people when they aren't aware of you. Might give them the wrong idea about you." The woman kept her tone calm, not letting the panic that was rising within her to seep into her voice. Her mind was clamouring for the fighting tips that Web had given her that night in the Pig's Foot in case it did come to a fight but she knew that it was most important to avoid a fight where possible. The woman wasn't ready for a proper fight, not yet and she had no idea how experienced this man was in combat. It won't come to that. You can talk and be civil and he'll go away, she assured herself, although she wasn't confident in the thought. "I thought I was alone up here, safe from what's going on on the streets. Not too many people are such early risers. I'm just minding my own business up here and I'm sure that you can go off and mind yours. I won't interfere with you... provided you don't interfere with me." The dancer watched him assessing how he'd react, how she should react, and plotted possible courses of action.

[Pulren Marsh]

Pulren winced when his advice took a turn and the beauty fell again. It still didn't stop him from taking one more glance at her form before she turned and regarded him with such scorn. She was up on her feet and backing away from him, which was understandable. Nevertheless, Pulren remained where he stood, his hands finding his pockets and a smile remaining. While he could see that she was nervous and uncomfortable, he didn't really feel like he had done anything wrong. He just watched as she continued to back up and when she spoke, it only increased his vigor.

He just shrugged at her mention of being polite. It actually gave him a bit of a chuckle. "That's the first time anyone in this dirty corner of the world has even used the word polite, much less accuse me of lacking in being such." Her eyes flashed to his pants and it was clear to him that his state of arousal was evident. So be it, really. Palaren Marshall enjoyed life. It was there to be enjoyed."You know, I can understand why you would be concerned, a woman of your beauty, feeling isolated and alone. I can assure you, however, that the caretakers of the Spring here would cut me to ribbons before they allowed any harm to come to you. They are older, but they give a sense of quiet strength." His hands came from his pockets and he had his palms out and facing up.

"I really mean you no harm. I can hardly believe that I am the first man to react in such a way to your blessings. Now, if you will give me a moment to explain, perhaps you will understand the misunderstanding here. While the Springs are definitely an oasis from the filth of Sunberth, they do rent rooms here. I have been here since Summer, having arrived from Zeltiva. I don't get down there into town much, so this is where I spend most of my time." Seeing she was still nervous, he looked before descending and took a seat on the grass, crossing his legs as best as he could in the leather pants. "So, put yourself in my shoes. I generally have a well meaning old couple and the occasional visitor to talk to and this morning I find an exquisite woman out here. I didn't know if I was still dreaming, in fact. I do hate that you hurt yourself, once being directly my fault. I'd be happy to pay for the inconvenience and any treatment you may need for your nose. Please, though, don't go because of me."

"I'm harmless."

[Caela Dorin]

He seemed unperturbed by her reaction to him, remaining relaxed and very much where he was despite her words to him. He seemed amused by her accusation of impoliteness and she was sure that he spoke the truth. Nobody in Sunberth was likely to have used the word in his vicinity, it wasn't a favourite among the denizens but that didn't mean that they all lacked manners. The man seemed intent on putting her at her ease, offering the owners of the bathhouse as people who ensured her safety. Away from the Springs though that argument wouldn't hold and she knew that the owners were not early risers. If he tried anything then what could they do? Throw him out on his arse, her mind offered helpfully. Would that risk be worth it to the man? Possibly.

Caela couldn't help but feel more than a little skeptical at his claims of meaning no harm. He seemed to think that information about his circumstances would somehow put her at ease but it didn't. Just because he was an outsider didn't mean that he couldn't get involved in the debauchery that was condoned in the city. The fact that he sat down put her more at ease though and made her lean towards thinking him sincere. The dancer would remain standing, still having the opportunity to make an escape if it was needed. She took a cautious step towards him, more willing to converse with him now that he was less of a threat. She wouldn't go so far as to term him harmless though.

"I'm not going to believe that anyone is harmless. I live here, always have so I'm never going to think that way. Looks can be deceiving in this city," she informed him simply. "I look harmless for instance but I'm certainly not. But no, you aren't the first man to react to my... blessings as you call them. I'm more than aware of how men react." A meaningful look was shot in the direction of his crotch, an eyebrow raising in question as she returned her gaze to his. "Were you under the impression that I was blind? Dangerous way to be in Sunberth. Can't walk around with your eyes shut, seeing nothing although you can certainly pretend that you don't see the goings on. Only way to stay safe."

The dancer didn't like standing while he was sitting as much as it meant that she was in a safer position, it just made her uncomfortable. She shifted from foot to foot, settling her weight in such a way that one hip jutted out to the side more than the other. Her arms crossed over her chest as she considered him, considered what to say to him. The young woman felt self-conscious, an almost laughable state for her to be in. She should be used to attention, she got enough of it after all both at work and out and about, this morning was a prime example, but yet she was still acutely aware. "It isn't obvious, is it? That I headbutted the ground I mean." She laughed lightly at her words although she was a little anxious about her appearance. She didn't want to end up with bruises all over her face although there was a chance that it'd happen and that she'd have to deal with it regardless of what she wanted.

His offer didn't appeal to her though. The dancer didn't want to owe him. He might get the idea that his kindness should be repaid and she certainly wasn't having that. She'd take information if she could get it though. "I don't want anything from you. You can tell me what you think of our fine city though. You've been here long enough to have an opinion, I suppose. And there's obviously a reason why you came here in the first place... Maybe you feel like sharing. You wanted someone to talk to after all." Her words were soft, the blonde allowing the right amount of interest and curiosity to colour her tone. Her head tilted to the side ever so slightly, eyes showing her interest in him rather than in any words that he might choose to share. She'd test him, see how far he'd be willing to go on his own but that didn't mean that she couldn't make him think that she had a keen interest in him personally. Let him make of it what he would and if he chose to be overly untoward then she was out of here.

[Pulren Marsh]

She took a step forward. Sure, she made sure to let Pulren know that she was no easy mark, but nevertheless, she had done so with a step forward. This small thing was not so small to him, as it meant that he was already successful. How probable was it that she would go running off like a rabbit? Even if she did, what a fine view to wish her well with. "My dear, the fact that you have lived in Sunberth for your whole life and remained flawless is a testament to your ability to defend yourself. In Zeltiva, I would expect that you would be one of the ladies of West Street, my kind of people. Dressed in the best materials, attending all of the balls and engagements. It's really a shame that your talents are wasted on this part of the world." His kind of people, what a joke. Pulren wouldn't waste his precious spittle on the West Streeters, but he had taken their shyke for long enough to know how to act like one.

Her vanity was expected and a soft smile graced Pulren's countenance as he shook his head. "No bruises that I can see. You are still perfect." Those words were genuine. He had literally never seen someone that stopped him. It took some effort to remember that he was worldly Palaren and not horny Pulren. With her glance at his package already evident, he was clearly not going to make any progress acting like horny Pulren. She probably shook off a half dozen of that ilk on a daily basis. He didn't want to stand though, either, considering her as a nervous deer. The wrong move could send her bolting into the bushes. With a new round of light interrogation coming from her sweet lips, Pulren stretched back on the grass and fingered at the blades as she spoke, making effort not to stare and gawk so much.

"I would like someone to talk to. It does get lonely out here. My name is Palaren Marshall and as I had mentioned before, I hail from Zeltiva. I travled here last season in order to experience parts of the world that, otherwise, would remain as rumor, myth and dusty page. Therefore, it seemed natural to visit Sunberth first. I figured if I survived and came out with my money intact, I could approach more exotic locations with greater confidence." His fingers trailed along a long, single blade of grass as his eyes watched a small spider move around what was a great jungle to it. Watching the creature made his imaginary story more real. The more he told it, the more he believed in it. The more he believed in it, the more he made it his own story. Palaren's story. He looked back to her, refreshed again with her beauty. It brought a smile to his face.

"I'm sorry, I got distracted there, thinking of home. Anyway, what I have seen of Sunberth sadly rings true of the stories of its filth. I have noticed, however, that it resembles a former city of industry and sailing, which I can surely recognize. It's a shame that it is so violent and chaotic, but it only makes me think of the University and the calm waters of Mathews Bay." Leaning back on his elbows, he was glad to feel that the distraction of his acting had softened his angry posture. He could speak to her without threatening her further with his spear. "If you have lived here for your whole life, why do you stay?"

[Caela Dorin]

Flattery. It was something that the dancer was very aware was spilling out of the other's mouth at every opportunity. She didn't trust such talk, knew from experience how to use it herself so she assumed that he was still working towards something. He was trying to appeal to a sense of vanity and pride that wasn't really there and he didn't even seem to realise. Could Caela play along? Find out what he was after without falling into a trap? Her skill at acting certainly left much to be desired but if she was careful in how she reacted then it might go unnoticed as faked. The ladies of West Street as he called them didn't sound like somewhere she belonged and whatever their talents were could only be being naturally beautiful or have a knack towards making themselves appear so. Seeing as he knew nothing about her it wasn't much of a compliment to the Sunberthian's ears. Despite that, she forced herself to bite her lip in an obvious way and then lower her gaze, her head bowed slightly.

"I... I don't know what to say to that." She spoke the truth, she didn't know what she was supposed to say in response to that. If words came to mind then they would be far from pleasant. Let him think her flattered though, the uncertainty and the hesitation that she'd added to her tone be taken as humility. Let him be fooled into thinking that his flattery got him somewhere and see how he reacted when it seemed to do so. Her gaze returned to his, relief spreading across her features that wasn't entirely false as she touched her aching nose. If she didn't have to try to use cosmetics to hide the effects of her ill-planned workout then all the better. The last set of bruising had shown through but at least her employer had known the reason that time. She wouldn't want Merv jumping to conclusions; that would certainly be bad.

His reasons for visiting the city of anarchy were drawn from him with ease. He seemed willing enough to talk if Caela provided him with a direction to go in. She smiled slightly, nodding along to his words while her mind provided a commentary that didn't fit with her expression. Oh I'm sure it gets very lonely. I know exactly what that loneliness is. Horny petching bastard. Deny that one. His story was listened to despite all of her internal comments upon him. It sounded true but the dancer wasn't sure of his character still so did she believe him? It was quite difficult to decide, his comparison between Sunberth and Zeltiva sounding like homesickness but still she couldn't be sure.

More questions came to her lips, the woman ready to probe further into his story but they died at his own question. She was struck speechless. She scrambled for an answer and found none. She'd always had an interest in foreign places but had never considered visiting them. He wanted an answer though so if she made one up and put a few grains of truth in it then he'd be none the wiser. "It's never been an option. It's hard in Sunberth. It's hard enough to scrape money together to feed and clothe yourself but to dredge up that little extra to put aside to go elsewhere." The young woman shook her head, sighing. "I can only try but if I ever got enough to go somewhere then I'd probably be too old to consider it. It can only be a dream for someone like me while it can be a reality for others." Her gaze fixed on him, a look of longing shot in his direction before her eyes lowered again.

The dancer was briefly quiet, considering some of those questions that had been abandoned before. Her eyes rose again, a smile gracing her lips that seemed sad. "Do have plans to go to many places after Sunberth? Do you plan to stay here much longer or are you ready to set off on your journey once again?"

[Pulren Marsh]

Pulren found himself proud at the fact that he had struck the lass speechless. Perhaps Palaren could teach him a thing or two of how to speak to a lady when the coin wasn't already on the dresser. If she was purely leading him on and being coy from a place of self serving agenda, Pulren would gladly pay the price to spend the time with her. She was an exquisite liar.

His one question seemed to hit the heart of a matter, as her speechlessness soon became vacant with a stream of longing and heartache. Given from a plain looking woman, it would merely be a sad tale, but from this flower, it made Palaren want to reach directly into his coin purse and relieve himself. Her further questioning seemed to drip of one who wished to see the world on a copper or perhaps on the arm of another. Palaren could surely be that arm, if it suited her. He knew, however, that he would be around for some time. Going back to Zeltiva so soon would be a failure in Pulren's eyes.

"No, I won't be going back home anytime soon." With that, he stood up and took care to brush any grass or dirt from himself. " I will surely be here through the Winter, though I can't say where I will be after that. I hope that means that we might see each other often, one way or the other. Would you like to continue your physical training? I believe it is late enough in the morning for some physical exertion. Care to join me?" He could surely use the exercise. Besides, it would mean more angles of this mortal goddess.

[Caela Dorin]

Her mixture of lies and truth was absorbed without comment by the man and she tried to read him to see if he truly believed her or if he was suspicious. His eyes held something that might well be pity but she couldn't be sure. It looked promising though and she resisted the urge to properly smile. A show of mirth would certainly shatter the melancholy illusion that she'd just attempted to conjure up. He'd see through her if that broke and she wasn't going to give him that chance. She wasn't that good an actress so the dancer bit her lip instead, pressing hard so that she grimaced slightly in pain rather than allowing her lips betray her true emotion.

He didn't exactly answer her question-she'd never mentioned his return to Zeltiva-and rose from his place on the ground. The dancer took a measured step backwards, putting some distance between them again. Caela did not like that one bit. On the ground he was probably no threat to her but on his feet he was a different thing altogether. When the answer to her questions did actually come, she was only half listening, nodding slowly in response as she tried to read his body language. If he made a move towards her, she could hope that she'd have some warning even if it was only the twitch of his foot towards her before he actually moved. His suggestion, or rather invitation as it quickly became, made her eyebrows raise. Did he seriously think that she'd say yes? She couldn't trust him after all so why would she willingly put herself in a possibly compromising situation? The blonde was far from stupid and surely he must realise that. She was probably right to distrust him and his motives although there was nothing to suggest that her fears were grounded. If she gave an inch, would he take a mile? She didn't know but was it wise to find out?

"You do know that I can trust you about as far as I can throw you and well... I'm sure you can imagine that that wouldn't be very far. So if you were me what would you say to that little invitation?" There was no point in giving him the false impression that he'd gained her trust. Let him know what ground he stood on with her. If he didn't try anything stupid then it was less likely that she'd have to stab him. Not that she could stab him, of course. Her dagger was tucked away in her backpack and her backpack was inconveniently out of her reach. She could hit him, she supposed. Web had taught her how and how to block so if his intentions were distasteful to her, he could be dealt with. She hoped.

Being cold towards him wouldn't get her anywhere though so perhaps she could twist the situation to her advantage instead, remedy what she'd just said so that it didn't seem quite so harsh to his ears. Honey instead of vinegar. "If you want to exercise then by all means to ahead. Maybe you could do me a favour? I'd love me to show you what you meant. About the push up. You can show me, right? You sound like you know a bit more about it then me but then you're a man, right? You're going to be able to do something like that. No problem to you." The blonde offered a smile. Caela thought that she'd said everything right. It was a challenge mostly. Men couldn't resist a challenge, especially when their pride was at stake. She'd asked him to do something for her and if she was thinking right then he might do in expectation of a reward. As long as he didn't ask a price for such a favour it could be left to his imagination and then she wasn't tied to any promise that she'd have to uphold. If nothing else, she hoped that the statement carefully turned into a question about him being a man would set him to prove himself to her and give her the help that she sought at the same time.

[Pulren Marsh]

And here she was backing away again, their supposed growing intimacy dwindling. It was now that Pulren started to wonder about the girl's agenda. Why was she so nervous about him? If he were a crazed rapist, wouldn't he have already put her to the ground? There were plenty of things Pulren was capable of, but rape just wasn't one of them. Subjugating anyone for pleasure of any sort just would never sit right in the Zeltivan's heart.

He could understand her concern, being out in the middle of nowhere, surprised by his desire and attention, which he really thought was welcomed. Chewing on his lip for a moment, he only shrugged when the mention of trust came up. "I suppose I can see where you are coming from, but I'm hardly asking you to wrestle with me. We could run or exercise or ...just whatever you felt like. It's odd that someone who has lived in Sunberth for their entire life would be so skittish with a gentleman, however randy I might be. Aren't there those who would just push you against a wall and go for it? That's just not me, miss."

Glad for the request for a demonstration, Pulren perked up a little and nodded. "Fair enough." Getting down on his knees, he kept her to the left of him so he could speak in the meantime. "So, you straighten your body and press down on the ground with your palms." He stretched out so that he was lying face down, his elbows at lateral angles."The point of this exercise is arm strength, so you need to let your arms do the work." Pressing against the ground, he immediately felt the burn in his biceps as his body lifted from the ground. He turned to her, keeping the form raised." Remaining up for a moment is good, maintains the strain in the arm muscles. If it is harder for you, you can have your knees bent instead until you get the strength up."

So he started to slowly lower himself until he was in the resting position again. "That was probably your problem, going with a regular push up right away. You have to have the arm strength to lower yourself back down so that you aren't injured like you were."He did four repetitions so as to display the exercise further. Looking back over from the resting position, he asked again," Want to try? You can go as far away as you like, for safety."