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To See A World [midnite_runXLunarCinnamon]

Tane chuckles at Gwen's apology; it was unsurprisng for her to be shy. Tane assumed she hadn't done it before and it could be seen as distasteful; in fact to some, it was. Not to Tane, one who believed in embracing every aspect of a woman's body, finding great distaste in how men took pleasure in shaming them for natural functions. "Why are you apologizing?" Tane whispers in Gwen's ear, nibbling on on her pointed ears, voice dropped to an almost baritone purr. "I distinctly remember saying I liked it."

With that, Tane refocused her efforts on Gwen's pleasure. She turns them around, Gwen still locked around her waist and lays her down on the bed. Lifting up her legs, she slides off the lacy panties, twirling it on her finger before flicking it onto the bedside table. Still holding Gwen's legs in the ear, she places kisses on her calves, working her way down to the lower part of her thighs. For all of Tane's tendency toward taking the lead and seemingly rough appearance, she was affectionate. Caring, some lovers had described her. To Tane, every part of a lover's body deserved love and attention; sex should not just be for pleasure, but for the enjoyment and praise of each other.

Gwen calls Tane insatiable again and Tane is inclined to agree, but such a statement downplays the exact hunger Gwen fills her with. It's more than lust, it's contentment and joy. It's love for a woman who has given her so much in such a little amount of time. It feels as if she couldn'tve known how she would come to love this woman, that fateful moment where Tane dropped to one knee in front of that garden, the scent of spring on the breeze.

Yet, it feels like she did know. Maybe, at that moment, they both knew. They were always meant to stand by each other, a knight and her princess. All of that time on the battlefield, all her training, it was all leading to the moment where she would meet this woman of fiery hair and compassionate smiles. Tane is no longer afraid to say it, for there is nothing to fear. Worry, perhaps, but not fear. There was no price she wasn't willing to pay if it meant she could spend even a minute longer as Gwen's one love.

"I love you, Gwen." Tane murmurs, as she spreads Gwen's legs, her head lowering down to lap at her still damp folds. Her ruby eyes look up intently at Gwendolyn from her position even as she drags the broad of her tongue up her lover's pussy. She wants to say it again, until the words lose their meaning and her tongue grows numb. "I love you," she says again and again, in between playful licks, locking her lips around the smaller woman's clit. Tane sucks at it greedily, circling the pink nub with her tongue. Her hand moves up to slide two fingers into Gwen, curling them to find that sensitive little area that made her squirm.
 
Tane's voice drove the poor little Princess completely mad sometimes... well, okay. All the time. But especially when she dropped it so low that Gwen could feel the vibration of it in her bones, rattling off of her and filling her chest with a bass that one woman should not be able to produce. It left her weak in the knees, happy she was already sitting down, or else she surely would have found herself knocked flat on her backside by it. She moans in response, both at her tone, her words, and of course the fingers teasing her folds, slipping inside her with such ease that Gwendolyn can't help but feel a little embarrassed at her obvious need.

But, she supposed it was a good thing. And, clearly her neediness was rewarded.

She was turned around with little effort, falling to the bed, bouncing just slightly as she looked up at Tane, hazel green meeting crimson. She allows her legs to be lifted, the little elf lifting her hips as well with a small effort as Tane pulled off her panties, twirling them on her finger before tossing them into the nether. Gwendolyn bites her lip at her little show, appreciating the theatrics. She watched her as if she's watching a dream in her mind, seeing Tane kiss down her calves, ever so slowly. Up to her knee, down her inner thigh. It's as if time stands still for a long moment, just the two of them in endless space as the world stops spinning. The people downstairs stop existing, everyone and everything around Gwen melts away except she and her knight on this bed in this manor. There's nothing she can think of that is more important than this moment right here.

"I love you, Gwen".

Gwendolyn blinks, the world suddenly slamming back to focus around her as Tane begins her dessert, leaving the poor princess at a loss for words. She can feel every movement of her tongue against her, prodding at her, licking flat, strong strokes along the little button between her folds. Her hot breath against her, the words she kept whispering, over and over again like a prayer, and all Gwendolyn could do in response was moan louder, call out Tane's name. She wanted to squeeze her legs shut at the pleasure, her body almost not able to handle it but, Tane's hands have a firm grasp against her inner thighs, pinning them to the bed, leaving her spread wide to be devoured.

Gwendolyn's world stops spinning again as Tane locks her lips around her throbbing clit, sucking as if her life depended on it. The princesses moans caught in her throat before she cried out in pure bliss, arching her back against the fingers that dug around inside her, prodding at her most sensitive spots. She couldn't catch her breath, chest heaving as she squeaked and whimpered, gasping between noises as she began to grow dizzy. Tane was not letting up, not giving her a chance to catch her breath. She was entirely focused on getting her off. The princess feels her tongue against her as she sucks, her hips jerking to meet the thrust of her fingers as they curl inside her, the poor little elf on the verge of tears at the pleasure overwhelming her body, not to mention the confession sitting on her tongue.

She wanted to say it, wanted to respond so badly but, for now the only way she could was with her body. At least until she found her voice again.

She cried out, sighing and moaning and gasping as she neared her peak already, so much pleasure mounting in such a small area of her body, it was overwhelming. She could feel a similar pressure to her second orgasm before dinner, balling up inside her lower belly. Her hands flew down to tangle her fingers in Tane's hair, tugging at it as she ate her up like a slice of cake, leaving the poor thing a mess on the sheets as she struggled to keep up with the climax that was mounting on her too fast to stave off. Between her mouth and her hands, the teasing before hand... her voice? This woman she felt so proud to call hers, who loved her too, knew with absolute certainty how to ruin her. Those who had said Tane was frighteningly good with her mouth were sorely mistaken, the woman was a Gods be damned GOD with her mouth. She was better than frighteningly good.

The little red head cried out again, her thighs shaking as the pleasure began to push her past her limit, all her effort forced into staving it off, if only so she could tell Tane what she'd wanted to tell her since they confessed initially to one another, before she came. Before they went out... before she lost the nerve to say it back.

"I love you, too," she gasped, forcing her thighs out of Tane's grasp to wrap around her head, keeping her in place as she looked down at her, repeating it too, "I love you, too. I love you Tane".
 
Gwen's declaration hits her with a force like none she had known; it takes the wind out of her chest and her eyes widen. As if she hadn't expected to hear such a response in return. As much as she fought against it, tears formed at the corner of her eyes, born of joy and relief. To know that Gwendolyn held those same feelings in her heart, by the Gods, how good it felt. She wants to hug her tight and thank her, but instead she opts to show her joy through pleasure, to make her climax to the point her bones felt like jelly.

The princess squirms and fights against her grip, body whipping around, as if the pleasure had filled her body like a containter and was liable to explode. The half orc derived such enjoyment from overwhelming Gwendolyn, crashing against her body with wave after wave of ecstacy. The way sweat beaded on her tanned skin and her fingers dug into her hair with a force that belied her plush frame. The tremors that run through her thighs and how she calls out Tane's name, hoarse and strained to the point of breaking. One would think it'd prompt Tane to slow down, but Tane was never very good at slowing down.

Insatiable, as Gwen had so succintly called her. It was the first time anyone had ever referred to her that way, in regards to sex, but it made perfect sense. She was insatiable for Gwen, greedy for her. She wanted this princess all to herself, to share her with no one, but her. To know her intimately in a way that no other person would, to see every facet of her being whether it was joy, pleasure, wonder or sadness. To know every countour of her body, memorized like a map, like the back of her hand.

Gwen begins to leak into her mouth and stain her chin. Tane's fingers work in and out of her folds with an increasing tempo; it takes awhile before her pussy adjusts to the combined girth of Tane's fingers, lessening their resistance to her plumbing their depths. She's able to slide them in deeper, pulling them out in a slow and laborious motion, letting savor the sensation of them exiting only to plunge them right back in.

An idea takes hold in her mind and the knight pulls away, smirking mischievously up at Gwen; the princess would mistake this for Tane relenting in her onslaught, but she would soon be surprised. Spreading her folds, she extends her tongue and slides it into her depths, taking advantage of the pink appendage's dimensions. The taste of Gwen is strong on her tongue, heavy and rich. She lets Gwen adjust before moving her tongue in wave-like patterns, while her free hand rubs away at Tane's clit. While this method doesn't have the sheer force and enthusiasm as her fingers, it was good to change things up, provide Gwen with different sensations; this was less about making Gwen climax, instead drawing it out. It would make her eventual fall over the edge that much more potent.

After a few minutes of her tongue, she pulls out, her mouth smeared with Gwen's fluids. She sits up, looming over Gwen as she slides her fingers back in. "I love you, Gwen," Tane murmurs out again, savoring the way the words feel on her mouth. "Please cum for me, my love. Let go," It's a departure from Tane's usual teasings and seductive purrs; this is more than just dirty talk. It's suffused with her honest feelings, pouring out the sheer love and affection she held for her.

Tane leans forward and kisses Gwen, pressing her lips against hers, her tongue snaking out between her lips and to enter Gwen's mouth. She runs it along the bottom her lip, their shared breaths hot and heavy. Tane kisses at the corner of Gwen's lips, kissing at her jaw, before diving back into mesh their lips against each other, as if they were breathing life into each other. Her fingers are moving at a furious tempo now; the wet squelching of her fingers thrusting in and out, curled upwards to brush against that weak spot with each exit and entrance.

"My love, please, cum for me," Tane murmurs again.
 
Gwendolyn is close, so absolutely close that she feels it mounting, feels it coming on as Tane fucks her on her fingers, on her tongue. The Princesses thighs are shaking with the force it takes to stave it off, just for a moment longer, just until she heard her beg for it. She wanted to hear her it of her. Of course, the moment she gets even slightly greedy, Tane has one of her brilliant ideas. Just as her climax is mounting, just as she's ready to give in, to finally let her body have what it wants... Tane pulls away. Gwendolyn breathes out a massive, held breath, almost a growl at the sudden disappearance of all pleasure at all. She goes to sit up, as if to ask what Tane thought she was doing, to see what was happening. But, she instead falls back to the mattress as Tane spreads her folds, her tongue deep diving inside her. It was certainly an odd feeling, leaving the little Princess squirming against the bed, her back arching against her as she sighed, moaning into the night.

"Ooh.." she absolutely purrs, jumping just a little as Tane begins to toy with her clit again, bringing her ever so slowly back to the precipice of her mounting orgasm.

Gwendolyn runs her hands up her body, covering her eyes with her arms as she focuses on the feelings coursing through her lower body. She's all hot and heavy breaths, purring moans, and praise for her lover between her legs, telling her endlessly how much she loves her, grinding her hips against her tongue as she begs with her body to cum. She needed to. She couldn't wait any longer, and her tongue as lovely as it was, wasn't cutting it.

So, when Tane pulled away, chin glistening with Gwendolyn's juices, she hungrily kisses her back, rolling her hips against her hand as she slides her fingers back in. Gwendolyn doesn't know what she'd feeling right now. Desperate, surely. Infatuated, most definitely. In love, without a doubt. But there's something more there, and it's more than lust. It's a deep rooted need for Tane that she never knew was ever an urge that needed to be scratched. But, as it was, she was here now, and boy was it being scratched.

She locks eyes with Tane for a split moment before they begin to kiss, her lashes fluttering shut as she moans and pants into Tane's mouth, her arms reaching up to wrap around her neck, her hips rolling against the thrusts of her fingers. She can hear Tane whispering for her to cum again, in fact begging with her, pleading to her to cum. And she wants to, she does. But, just her fingers are not enough either. As her tongue dances with Tane's she pulls away just slightly to kiss at Tane's lips, her cheek, her forehead, as if urging her back down to collect her prize.

The redhead's arms fall above her head, her breasts bouncing with the force of Tane's fingers inside her, pushing up into her, moving her on the bed. She can feel the pads of her rough fingers toying with her, brushing over her most sensitive spots, curling in just the perfect way to apply pressure, bringing about that knot of tension again in her lower stomach. As Tane again begs her to cum, Gwendolyn locks eyes with her, moaning as she does, calling out her name. It dripped off her tongue like honey, leaving her lips before a another moan caught in her throat, the last thing she was able to say before pleasure overtook her, a small choked, "fuck".

And then the Princess burst. She stilled on the bed, arching her back as she began to cum, Tane's fingers relentless in their mission, only helping to draw out her climax as long as possible. And it lasted a long while. Toes curling, Gwendolyn felt it wash over her, crashing down on her like a tidal wave before she released one of her own, soaking the bed beneath them once again, her pussy pulsing around Tane's thick fingers, her inner walls pulling her deeper and deeper still. Gwendolyn practically sat up in the bed at the sheer force of her orgasm, whimpering as the pleasure mounted again, surprising her as a second wave rolled over her. This orgasm was less intense than the first but, still incredibly powerful, leaving her thighs shaking and the bed wetter than the moment prior, her inner thighs slick as she fell back to the bed, biting at her knuckle as she twitched in aftershocks, panting and trying desperately to catch her breath.

"Tane, oh my Gods," she gasped, positive she saw a white light somewhere in the middle of all that. She had to have. It couldn't be mortally possible to go through so much pleasure without coming face to face with the Gods. But, she supposed when she opened her eyes and looked down to Tane, she most certainly did. Her cheeks were rosy, a little line of drool at the corner of her mouth when she'd been unable to close it due to the pleasure overwhelming her. There were tears too, staining her cheeks, both from their confessions too and the pleasure. Tane had absolutely wrecked havoc upon her, leaving her a more disheveled mess than the first time they had laid together mere hours ago.

"Tane I--" she shook her head, running her fingers through her copper hair, at a complete loss for words. Her chest heaved, her breasts and abdomen shining in the candlelight with a thin, glistening layer of sweat. Tane had certainly put her through a workout.
 
Gwen's climax is a sight to see, one that even Tane is impressed that helped bring to fruition. Her body is taut, like a drawn bow, before she absolutely explodes over Tane's fingers. The orc keeps thrusting into Gwen's wet heat, causing the spray of her cum to fan out across the sheets. One of her free hands holds Gwen in place, lest she kick herself off the bed somehow. Tane whispers sweet nothings to her lover the entire time, her hands roaming across her body, holding her tight as she rides out the waves of her orgasm. When she feels Gwen begin to come down, she leans down to kiss her gently on forehead, brushing her sweaty hair back. She's breathtaking in the afterglow of her climax; her chest rises and falls gently, beads of sweat rolling down the curves of her breasts. Tane runs a hand down her legs, grinning at the after-shocks of her orgasm causing her legs to shake.

"Shhh, don't speak, my love," Tane says with a chuckle at Gwen's response, the words dying on her tongue. It was likely the strongest climax the princess had ever siffered and she looked positively wliped. Par of her is afraid she would pass out on the spot, putting their tavern plans to rest. Although, if there was any reason she was okay with them sitting out the party, it was because of this. Right now, she's more concerned with making sure Gwen has the emotional and physical support to comfortably come down from her high.

Tane's hands roam down between Gwen's legs again, brushing her finger tips over her pussy. Pulling away, Tane marvels at the copious amount of sticky fluids on her hand, stretching her fingers apart, the strands connected them gleaming in the mellow light of the room's lamps. Sliding them into her mouth, Tane hums around her fingers, appreciating the heady taste of Gwen. "Sorry, I didn't have dessert," Tane says with a mischievous chuckle, wiping the rest of her saliva on her chest. She reaches forward and pulls Gwen close, cradling the princess close to her body. Part of her is afraid that Gwen's declarations of love were only spoken in throes of pleasure, words that she would slowly come to regret now that all is said and done.

Tane shakes her head; it would do neither of them any good to entertain such thoughts. To let her anxieties take hold would poison their relationship, seed doubt and make it impossible for her to truly open up. To love another person is to have trust in their words and affection, to believe that they saw the same value in you that you saw in them. Nonetheless, Tane would feel remiss if she didn't address the declarations of love they exchanged.

"I meant what I said," Tane begins, her voice barely above a whisper, staring at a spot on the sheets, finding difficulty to look Gwen directly in the eye. Her hand clasps around hers, rubbing her thumb against Gwen's soft palms. "I love you, Gwendolyn. I did not speak it earlier because I feared....it was too early. We have barely known each other. How could I speak of such things so early? But, I know now, in my heart."

Tane looks down at Gwendolyn, raising a calloused hand to caress her cheek, tears staining the corners of her eyes. "I love you, Gwen."
 
Gwendolyn is left laying on the bed, panting as she tried to catch her breath, as if she had just run miles without stopping, her heart pounding in her ears. She closes her eyes as Tane presses a kiss to her forehead, leaning into her touch as she wraps her arms around her neck, her hips still shaking as she comes down. Tane's hushing doesn't perturb Gwen, she could find the words right now to say anything anyhow, completely wiped out by the orgasm that had swept over her.

She reached a hand back around to hold Tane's face, stroking her cheek as she simply looks at her, drinking her in. Every little freckle or line or mark on her skin, every scar, the shape of her brows, the exact shade of crimson that stared back at her. She counted the minutes that went by just watching her, just looking at her as she spoke. Gwendolyn watched her lips moving, eyeing her tusks with a special care.

She loves her so much. There wasn't anything she could say that could ever properly express that. Everything about her from her sense of humour to her obviously dashing looks. The way that she exudes a confidence Gwen can only dream of... but at the same time she's so quick to open up to those she trusts, Gwen included. She doesn't try to hide who she truly is, and Gwen admires that greatly. Even down to the way she pushes Gwen's hair out of her eyes, so lovingly. It's all this and more that drew Gwen to her, and why she's so happy now.

So, as Tane confirms her comments, Gwendolyn can't help but tear up in return.

"I think now was the perfect time to say it, even if we both knew earlier.." Gwen leans into Tane's touch, her hand moving up to lay over hers. "I love you too, Tane. I meant what I said as well. I love your silliness, your confidence, your brilliance. I adore you".

She leaned forward, pressing a kiss to Tane's forehead in return, smiling up at her, "now, what say you to a drink in celebration? I heard of a wonderful tavern just down the street from a very dear companion of mine".
 
With each compliment Gwen lays upon her, Tane feels her heart soar. She's lovestruck, absoutely smitting, head over heels. There was no other word to describe it. She was in love with Gwendolyn, her companion, her princess, her lover. Tane tries to fight back tears, but she cannot. They roll down her cheeks and onto Gwen's hand as she admires her tusks. She leans her head into her hand, savoring the feeling of it against her cheek.

A gentle kiss lands on her forehead and she can only respond by holding the smaller woman tighter, wrapping her burly arms around her torso. She wants to curl up with Gwen, cuddle under the sheetsm faces inches against each other. What better way to spend a night, huddled against your lover, having the freedom to admire every aspect of their being. "I love you, Gwen. I love your compassion, your composure, the way you look at me with such kindness. You give me warmth," Tane says, her voice partially muffled by Gwen's hand; she could spend too much time running down a list of the ways Gwen enriched her life, but they had a party to get to.

"Oh? Pray tell me more about this companion. I know nothing of her, but I bet my coin she's a devlishly handsome woman," Tane jokes, pulling away from Gwen, but not before kissing her on the lips again, whispering another declaration of love. She goes over to her trunk and digs through the clothing, finding the right outfit. Tane knew nothing of fashion, often opting for clothes that were simply practical, so her tastes rarely varied. She opts, again, for a black undershirt, sleeveless. The cut of it is deep, however, exposing a good expanse of her pale cleavage. She slips on simple brown trousers, ones that actually fit, hugging her hips enough to show off the womanly swell. On her feet, worker's boots, boots she has owned since she began mercenary work. Despite their age, they were made of hardy material and meticulously taken care of. It feels fantastic to be in clothes that felt like her and not preening like some peacock, trying to find a mate for the season.

"Okay. We're gonna need to sneak out," Tane mumbles to herself, hands on her hips as she looks around the room, deep in thought. It was very possible for them attempt sneaking out the front, but that required evading the guards and Tane wasn't sure if that was worth the risk. Instead, her eyes follow to the balcony. Stepping out onto the balcony, wrenching open the doors, she peers over the edge; it was only a story or two up and past that, freedom. This would cause another man hesitance, but for Tane, it's merely something to consider. She's leaped from higher distances and walked away with a sore leg at best. This seemed like child's play.

Re-entering the room, she drops into a squat, streching her legs and limbering up. While she feels little fear about her health, she worries that Gwen wouldn't trust her. "I have a suggestion, my love. Sneaking out of the front will be....troublesome, to say the least. However," Tane says, grinning mischievously as she waves her arm towards the open balcony. "Freedom and ale is but a leap away. I assure you, I am a very sturdy gal. Simply grab onto my neck and hold tight."
 
Gwendolyn hushes her lover almost as soon as her tears spill over, the worry in her eyes palpable as she wipes the tears away. It's clear to her that they are tears of joy but, still she is there to dry them, smiling up at her love as she whispers in return that she loves her back, a smile on her plush lips as she wraps her arms around Tanes massive shoulders, sighing in her grip.

As the two come apart, Gwen sits up, flipping her long hair out of her eyes as Tane climbs out of bed. Gwendolyn looks her body over, admiring the scars dotting her torso like unique constellations, each one holding a story that Gwen was sure to hear one day soon.

Gwen leans up to meet Tane's lips, her eyes fluttering shut as she savours the moment, even as Tane pulls away. She hums to herself contently, before sitting back on the bed, watching her lover walk around the bed to her trunk of clothes.

"Oh you haven't the foggiest idea. She's the most dashing, gorgeous woman I've ever seen. I think I was blessed with vision just so I could look at her. And hearing just so I could listen to her voice. Feeling, so I could touch her," Gwen sits on her knees, following Tane around the bed, grabbing her hips from behind as she leaned her cheek against her back, "I'd go on but the rest of my senses don't make such romantic statements," Gwen giggles, leaving a trail of kisses down Tane's spine before standing up on the bed and hoping down, leaving her to get dressed.

Gwendolyn finds her own outfit laid out on her bed, finding her panties and brassiere tossed about the room. She slips them on, tugging her shirt on first before pulling on her pants, tucking her blouse in before doing up the fly and button, before buckling her belt. She looked herself over in the full length mirror, admiring the outfit. Her own blouse hung low between her cleavage as well, though was helped very much when she tied the strings hanging at the collar. The pants were tight where it counted, her hips flaring in a womanly shape she'd come to recognize as hers, her backside certainly helped by the trousers. She certainly didn't look a thing like the tiny nymph who had emerged from her carriage weeks ago, dressed in silk that fluttered about her body, hiding its most seductive shapes.

As she tugged on her own pair of boots, tying them up, she looked to Tane, watching her as she pieces together a plan of action. Her boots done up, Gwen pushes her hair out of her eyes, sitting up with a huff before standing, tugging her hair up into a long ponytail. She watches Tane move about the room, seeming stuck on the balcony for a moment before pushing open the doors, eyeing the fall.

Gwendolyn looked curiously on, perking up as Tane turned round, squatting as she stretched out her body. Gwen did the same, though it was more to tease her than anything else, a shit-eating grin on her face as she did.

"Oh, I assure you right back I know just how sturdy you are". Though she teased, she was a little apprehensive. Not scared, she knew Tane wouldn't let her get hurt but, the Princess had never really snuck out by jumping off a balcony before. Let alone on someone's back. She walked over to the door, stepping out onto the balcony curiously.

It wasn't a far drop, but it wasn't a short one either. She looked back to Tane, her mouth dry for a moment before turning back to look out at the view, the music from the tavern piquing her pointed ears, the laughter she imagined inside. The drink, the fun...

"Okay, I trust you," Gwen smiled, turning back to Tane, "just don't get yourself hurt, that's what I'm worried about," she murmured, stepping up to Tane, staring up at her from her tiny height, nodding her head, "so... am I supposed to climb you like a tree or..? Not that I'm opposed".
 
Tane takes a moment to look Gwen up and down, wanting to sigh dreamily at her, like a love-struck schoolgirl. Gwen was beautiful in all her outfits, if you were to ask Tane, but there's a special joy in seeing her in commoner's clothing. There's a down to earth beauty to her, the way the plain trousers hugged the wide flare of her hips, how the blouse brings out the tempting swell of her breasts. She reminds Tane of the kind of patron at a tavern who would have her absolutely smitten, leading her along by the chin with a soft smile and a cheeky grin. Part of Tane knows that Gwen is going to get more than her fair share of stares and approaches; the thought makes Tane feel a rather strong sense of protectiveness and reminds herself to keep an eye out.

"Aye, a very fleshy tree," Tane replies with a chuckle as Gwen lines up behind her. With a small grunt, she steps back and puts her hands under Gwen, hefting onto her back. She gives the smaller woman a few minutes to adjust to the position and clench onto her neck before making their way out onto the balcony. Gwen was practically a feather in Tane's arms, as if it took as much effort as picking up a simple bag of onions. Walking them over to the balcony, Tane lifts one boot up to the railing.

"Close your eyes, if it would still your nerves, my love. We'll be at the bottom before you know it," Tane says, attempting to re-assure her partner. Wtih a small 'hup', she pushes herself off the balcony and into the air. There is a moment of weightlessness from the jump, as if only a second longer was all it would take for them to simply take flight. Tane's heart soars into her throat and she grins widely before gravity reasserts itelf, bringing her heavy body down to the ground. Tane braces her legs for impact, breathing in and holding her breath, tightening her muscles for the inevitable landing. The orc comes down to the ground with a resounding thud, her boots digging substantial indents into the ground. She grunts loudly at the pain shooting through her legs. She's not injured, but it was hardly what one would call a tickle.

"How was the trip?" Tane asks with with a grin, feeling the pain begin to subside. Ahead of them is an empty road that leads out into the town. Out on the horizon, one can see the lights of various houses, like terrestial stars. The loud and racuous yelling from the tavern manages to reach all the way out here, riding on the wind. The orc sniffs the air and catches a whiff of roast pig; the duck at Maldur's feast was certainly delicious, but there was a welcoming comfort in that of tavern foods, a reminder of homemade cooking. Shaking her legs one more time, she starts a light jog, not even bothering to let Gwen down.

There's a joy in her a heart, a childish one; they should be princess and knight, being diplomats and securing the future of the kingdom. Dour and serious business. Instead, they're sneaking out of the castle like young teens, stealing away from their overbearing parents to make a ruckus. However, Tane feels no guilt in her heart. Only the joy of an adventure with her one and only by her side. Or back, to be more accurate.

After a short run, attracting the confused stares of passerby, the two of them arrive at the tavern. It's ramshackle building; it looks as if it's held together by the very vines that grow around it. A sign swings, rickey and loud, in need of an oiling. From outside, you can hear the screaming and hollering, the slamming of tankards and the start of bar songs, drunken men hilariously out of tune. "Well, what do you think?" Tane asks, turning her head slightly to grin at Gwendolyn.
 
Gwen giggles at Tane's words, standing behind her as Tane helps her onto her back. The Princess adjusts herself in her arms, wrapping her own around Tane's neck, careful not to strangle her as she grabs onto her shirt. From on Tane's back, she is practically the same height as her knight, give or take an inch or so. It's certainly very different from the small stature she usually stands at, and already she feels herself lightheaded. She looks down over the balcony as Tane approaches, her lover not having to tell her twice to close her eyes. Gwendolyn nods her head, eyes already shut as she pressed her face between Tane's shoulder and neck, eliminating the chance of accidentally looking.

It wasn't that she was very scared of heights, if anything she didn't mind them but, intentionally jumping from them was another story. But she knew Tane wouldn't get her hurt if she could help it.

The two of them soar in the air for a fraction of a second, the world stopping around them before they begin to plummet back down to earth. Gwen feels the impact herself, at least the force of it, opening her eyes the moment they hit the ground to look back up at the balcony, "it was lovely," she pressed a kiss to the nape of Tane's neck before placing her chin on her shoulder, "are you okay?" she asks quietly, her first worry about Tane. It was quite the fall and even bracing yourself for it there was bound to be a little pain upon impact. She would be sure to help her legs feel better the moment she got the chance. Perhaps a massage might do the trick.

Gwendolyn's attention turns to the road ahead, the towns peoples lights dotting the horizon like fireflies. Her ears piqued at the noises travelling down the road, the music swelling from the tavern, the laughter. The smile on her lips couldn't be helped, the laughter bubbling up as Tane began to jog leaving the Princess feeling a joy that had her set to burst. She held on tight, ignoring travellers on the road as they stared, her mind only on Tane and the tavern.

She hardly even felt any guilt for stealing away, how could she when she felt so happy? This is how this trip should be. Exploring the towns she arrived in, meeting the people face to face, joining their customs, having fun with them. And if she got to do that by Tane's side, than it made it all the more obvious to Gwendolyn that this was how it was meant to be. If she was with Tane, everything she did felt right. Was right.

Their little trip came to an end far too soon for Gwen, who was growing very comfortable on her knights back. She kissed the nape of her neck again, smiling as she turns around to ask her question. "It's fantastic!" The Princess lets go, landing on the soft earth with a little thud and grunt of her own, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she takes a better look at the building, eyeing the light of lamps on the outside, flickering as they attract small moths. The sound of the sign in the summer breeze creaking brings a palpable realness to all this, reminds her that she is really here... that this isn't just a dream she had thought up in her mind like most other adventures she'd had. This was one she had thought about quite a bit, imagining herself walking into the bar, disguised as if anyone would actually care that she was royalty. The sounds and smells encompassed her even as she daydreamed, but now? Now she was really here.

Gwendolyn wondered how many more dreams Tane would make a reality for her. Likely, all of them.

"Can... can we go in?" she asks excitedly, taking Tane's massive hand in both her tiny ones, almost pulling her toward the door. She wanted badly to share a drink with Tane and her men again. Without the nerves, without the awkwardness. She felt like a child, the excitement coursing through her veins left her nearly jumping in place as she tugged on Tane's hand now, begging her to begin their fun, "please, please, please! Come on!"
 
There's a moment where Tane is afraid that Gwen would change her mind; perhaps, she conjured a grander image of the tavern, expecting a presentable establishment. Not this near wreck of a bar, sturdy but weathered by time and use. This is the kind of place Tane felt at home, surrounded by battered and wounded commoners, allowing her to be herself. To have Gwen look upon it with disdain would deal her heart a great blow. Imagine her joy then, to find Gwen absolutely giddy with the prospect, hopping with as much force as her thick but short legs could give her. "Well, alright then," Tane says with a chuckle, reaching out to place her hand on the door. She pauses for a moment and whips around to plant a playful kiss on Gwen's nose, smiling softly.

"I love you." It's cheesy and simple, a completely undeeded show of affection, but Tane cannot help it, that rising tide of joy she feels to be able to call Gwen her lover and her companion. If one were to give her the opportunity, she would stand out here all day, showering the princess in affection. Alas, they had a party to attend.

Pushing open the doors, there's a sudden backblast of hot air, muggy and sweaty. The yellowed lights of the tavern blare into Tane's eyes and she shields them for a moment before the full view of the bar comes into clarity. Barmaids rush by, plates heavy with tankards of honeyed balanced on their arm, the golden liquid occasionally spilling over the sides. Others haul great plates of steaming bowls of stew or crudely roasted pig. Crowds of men and women are huddled at tables, banging together tankards, loudly telling tall tales or hurling insults. Some have already started at arm-wrestling contests, both men and women with burly and weathered arms, clenched in a battle of strength while their comrades yell and cheer on the sides. The entire tavern smells both strong, yet strangely comforting. There's a mix of sweat and homemade cooking, cherrywood coals burning in a gigantic stone oven in the back. The entire scene is overwhelming, a veritable assault on the sense, enough to give any newcomer a great deal of whiplash.

Tane's attention is turned to a Briar in the far corner, a tankard of ale tipped over his head as men surround him, chanting and egging him on as he attempts to down the entire mug in a single series of gulps. Briar spots Tane out the corner of his periphery. His eyes widen at the sight of Gwendolyn besides her, despite her attempts at disguising her identiy; it was likely none of the other men in the bar recognized Gwen, but Briar had always been exceptionally sharp and intuitive, often too much for his own good. Raising a single finger at the two of them, he returns his attention to his drink, his eyes scrunched in effort. A few more seconds pass before he finishes, slamming the mug down and belching loudly. The soldiers around him yell out in applause, patting him fiercely on the back.

"Well, godsdamned time you showed up. Almost thought you bailed," Briar calls out to the two of them as he walks forward, just a slight tilt in his gait; he's not drunk, but he's certainly had a drink or three. Standing in front of them, he looks at Gwen for briefest of moments, his eyes piercing, before smiling widely. "And you brought a ladyfriend! Only been in Evergeen a damn day and you're working fast, hm?" Briar winks at Gwendoly before turning to the bartender, waving his arm.

"Aye, bring us three tanks of ale! Get a big one for the lost cow right here!" Briar calls out, earning a roll of the eyes from the bartender before he fills up their drinks.

Tane scowls in response, but a smile tugs at her, punching Briar in the chest. "See you've taken no time in slaking your thirst. Tell me, how much of a fool have you made of yourself yet?" Briar leads them to a nearby table, pulling out the chairs. They're rickety and looks made in haste, as if the crafter had other things on his mind during it's creation. The one under Tane's creaks loudly.

"An absolute jester, my good sister. You know I can't resist a good time. I didn't expect to see your ladyfriend here, though. Didn't take her for a tavern gal, but hey," Briar starts, placing his chin in his hands, eyes glinting with mirth as a barmaid arrives with their drinks. "Everyone loves a surprise. We have sooooo much to talk about, but first, I reckon you both have a might also have thirsts to slake, hm?" He slides the other two mugs of mead to both Gwen and Tane. Tane's mug is especially large, nearly twice the size of everyone elses. Tane sighs, knowing that she'd hear no end from Briar, but she pushes it aside for now, taking her mug in hand.

Banging it against Briar's and Gwen's, she leans her head back and upends the golden liquid into her mouth. Some of the men from the other table spot her and turn around in their chairs, stomping their boots into the poorly mopped floor as they cheer her on. Tane barely flinches as she continues to gulp down her drink, rivulets flowing down her chin and into her shirt. When it's done, she smashes the mug onto the table, shaking the entire thing. There's a momentary pause before Tane belches loudly, like the rumble of a perturbed lion. The men respond with a racuous wave of cheers, clapping loudly.

"Well, Gwen, care to give it a shot?" Tane grins, holding up and turning over her empty mug to show not a drop remains.
 
The little princess wrinkles her nose as Tane steals a kiss, all blushing and giggles as the door opens in front of them. She looks up at Tane, watching her back as she pushes the doors open with little effort, eyeing the space inside. Gwendolyn on the other hand is completely enamoured staring at Tane, she hopes she can feel her silent response.

As they step inside, Gwen stays close behind her knight, eyeing the men and women of the bar, taking a moment to sniff the air herself, smelling the telltale aroma of greasy, roast boar. It reminds her of their first night together eating and drinking. Gwen spotted Briar off in the corner herself, his telltale mop of dirty blonde hair giving him away as he was clearly half way into downing a mug of mead. Gwen stepped up next to Tane as they approached, eyeing the patrons around the tavern, listening in to their stories, their laughter... she watched them settle bets and gamble, feeling a certain melancholy settle in the pit of her stomach as she did. It was childish of her to think that these peoples lives were better than hers simply because they didn't have her status, or her money... and it was flat out untrue. She was sure many of them struggled with poverty, perhaps even homelessness. And yet, she stood in the middle of this tavern, a Princess on her coming-of-age journey, and she found herself jealous. Most if not all these people had lead far harder lives than Gwen ever could, nor would she ever be able to understand. And still, she felt as if she had missed out. She had so much more to explore and to learn, which she supposed this trip was for in the end, even if she had to sneak about to do it. She offered a smile to one of the barmaids as she caught her eye, giddy when she returned in, though it took her a moment of surprise.

She turned her attention back to Briar and his group, the man one sip away from completing his mead. To the rowdy applause and cheer of his tablemates, Briar slammed the empty mug down, basking in the glory of downing an entire pint of drink.

Gwen grinned at him, standing close to Tane as he turned to address them. She was a little surprised when he seemed not to recognize her, addressing her instead as Tane's lady friend for the night but, his little wink quelled her surprise. He knew, of course, he was just being considerate. After all, it wouldn't be good to tempt fate in a place where anyone would do anything for quick coin. Gwendolyn wasn't worried, she had an entire group of people she considered friends here, and one lovely, handsome knight to protect her. She squeezed Tane's arm as the two of them walked to the table behind Briar, looking up at her happily.

Gwendolyn sits herself down in the chair next to Tane, the seat of it big enough under her to allow her to cross her legs, something a Princess wasn't really allowed to do. Gwen reveled in this forbidden behaviour, as small as it was, making herself comfortable. She listened in to Briar and Tane's back and forth, seeing them take the piss out of each other actually quite enjoyable. They reminded her of siblings, squabbling and making fun of one another every chance they got but, ultimately being one another's most trusted friends. Gwen didn't have siblings but, she had cousins who did, knew other royals with multiple children. The more they got along, the more it seemed to the untrained eye that they didn't one bit. But, growing up around it, Gwen knew it was all in good fun.

The redhead's attention turns to Briar, his mention of surprises making her smile in his direction. She simply shrugged his shoulders. She certainly wasn't a tavern girl, not yet. But, there was always a first for everything.

Her drink was placed in front of her, slammed down on the table, frothing about in the mug. Gwen eyed it for a moment before turning to Tane, watching her do the same as she picked it up, spilling some of her own as Tane slammed hers into Gwen's and Briar's in a toast before quickly taking to downing her drink. Gwen held onto hers, watching Tane as she drank, following for a moment the droplets that dripped down her chin straight to her chest. She watched her throat bob as she swallowed, the cheers of the men around them and their stomping feet putting a smile on Gwen's face that she couldn't shake off. She found herself beginning to cheer her on as well after a moment, cheering loudly along with the men the table over when Tane slammed her mug down and belched, the little Princess jumping in her seat in excitement.

Of course, it's quickly quelled by the prospect of doing the very thing she'd just cheered on, herself. She found herself wishing she'd taken that second glass of wine, the first not quite enough to quell her nerves. The tavern was packed and, being that Gwen didn't much like a lot of attention, it was a struggle for her to even look back at the mug but, swallowing her fear, she took it back in her hands, staring down at it as if she were staring a dragon in the mouth. Then, with a deep breath, she brought the mug to her lips, letting the golden mead wash over her tongue, pleasantly surprised at the sweet taste before it gently burned the back of her throat. Gwen drank it down quick and far easier than she had expected to. By the time she was finished, her shirt was damp with mead, streams of the drink making their way down her chin to her chest much like Tane, but the majority of the drink had ended up in her stomach, enough of it to leave her fighting off a burp of her own when she slammed the mug back down on the wooden table, hiding her belch behind her hand, tears in her eyes from the effort of drinking down the massive pint of mead.

She looks back up at Tane and Briar, her cheeks bright red in embarrassment. It wasn't really everyday that she was allowed to burp at the table, nor chug an entire mug of alcohol. Which, to her genuine surprise, as she tipped the mug over, not a single drop fell out, "I did it," she said incredulously, the grin on her face brighter than ever.
 
Both Tane and Briar watch Gwen with expectant gazes, half-expecting her to opt out; neither of them would've blamed her, considerig this was her first time. Tane's face lights up with joy as Gwen takes to the task with glee, pressing the the mug against her lips. At first, most the patrons smugly entertained her, amused by such a small woman attempting such a daunting task. Their eyes slowly widened as Gwen soldiered on, patronizing smiles turning into ones of shock and joy. Their feet began to stomp at the groud in unison, rattling every table in the tavern, with even more ferocity than either Gwen or Tane. Fists slam onto tables in resounding unison and the chants rumble like a war chant. Though Tane was exceptionally huge, it wasn't uncommon to size those of her size guzzle down several mugs of mead, a vitality granted to them by their bulk. However, Gwen was easily the smallest patron in the bar, with a gentle face that belied the fiery spirit in her chest. So, to watch her soldier on and finish her mug sparked a furor in everyone watching.

There was a momentary pause of shock when Gwen finished, her burp ringing out loudly in the tavern. They all look between each other before a defeaning roar of celebration erupts through the tavern, the stomping so violent, one could probably see the tavern shaking from across the town. Tane's cheers are especially loud, stealing a quick peck on the cheek, one that Briar catches with a curious quirk of the brow. Men crowd around the table, slapping Tane and Gwen on the back, offering praise and compliments, most directed towards Gwen. Tane couldn't help the ripple of jealousy in her heart; not for the attention she received, but rather the idea that someone else would attempt to approach her. Almost petulantly, Tane scoots her chair closer to Gwen, wrapping aburly arm around her shoulder, her eyes like slow burning coals. The look was enough to stay the encroaching men's advances, most of them walking back to their tables. Briar cannot help but snicker knowingly.

"Aye, if you weren't a tavern girl before, you're sure as hell now," Briar says with a deep chuckle, looking between Tane and Gwen; the affection between the two was obvious, the way they occasionally steal glances at each other, as if they had spotted something new to admire about their lover. "So. How long has it been since you've done the deed?" Briar asks them bluntly, ever smirking.

"Briar! Gods!" Tane exclaims, slamming her hand down on the table, looking around to see if anyone had overheard Briar's question. Despite the fact that Gwen is in disguise, Tane feels a flare of panic run through her. Sighing deeply, she takes a moment to calm down, eyeing Briar with an grimace of pure annoyance. The mischeivous blond simply shrugs his shoulder and spins his drink again, taking an obvious joy in watching his much larger colleague squirm. His eyebrows wiggle expectantly.

"We have....confessed to each other," Tane responds bluntly, not wanting to go into detail. Gwen's privacy was her own and to divulge any more details would be to betray her trust, to violate her space. If Gwen wanted to divulge the extent to which they've confessed to each other, it would up to her. "We are....dating." There is an air of questioning in that statement, looking over at Gwen apprehensively, as if waiting for a response. Though it seemed petty and simple, in reality, it meant the world to Tane. She was long used to being a dirty secret for many a maiden, the sultry fuck that she would tell her friends about, but to be boiled down to her parts, not regarded as a person. To hear Gwen refer to her as partner to others would feel like a dream.
 
Gwendolyn eyes her mug as the cheers ring out around her, the smile on her lips hurting her cheeks she was grinning so wide. She took the pats to her back in stride, leaning toward Tane as she cheered along, unable to hold back her giggling long enough to say anything in return to Briar. All she can do is laugh, at least until Tane steals a kiss to her cheek, the little Princess turning bright red as she reaches a hand up over the still burning spot. She catches Briar's eye as he stares, dumbfounded for a moment before seemingly taking much joy in the small display of affection. Gwendolyn freezes in her spot, looking down at the wood grain of the table with an eye so trained upon it she could likely age the tree it came from.

She jumps as Tane slams her hands on the table, a hiccup escaping her in her surprise. And then, the poor Princess can do nothing but. She felt incredibly warm all of a sudden, after all, it hadn't exactly been her first drink of the night, and she'd not eaten much at the feast. There wasn't really anywhere for the alcohol in her body to go besides her bloodstream. That and she'd chugged the damn thing. That was a perfect recipe for hiccups. She finds herself swaying to the music, the warmth taking over her body and a nice tingle on her lips. She wasn't drunk, not tipsy, just a little lightheaded both from the drink, the adrenaline, and the now very obvious elephant in the room. She leans her chin in her hands, elbows on the table, still cross legged on the chair as she stares Briar down, her eyes narrowing.

Gwen, as much as she liked Briar, felt no need to tell the man of hers and Tane's escapades. It wasn't any of his business, besides, she wasn't nearly intoxicated enough to say much of anything in this atmosphere, let alone speak about how Tane had fucked her only half an hour ago. Though she was sure that the men glancing at the table would love to hear all about it.

"Dating?" Gwendolyn says as she sits up straight, a cheeky grin on her lips. Such an innocent word... not one she would have thought up herself. But then, what would she have said had she been the one to answer? That they were in love? Seeing each other? No... she supposed there wasn't really anything to say that didn't sound clunky and odd. Dating was nice though. The word made her feel fuzzy and warm, like it wasn't a secret anymore that they'd confessed. Briar knew now, so she supposed that it wasn't. Though, she had a sneaking suspicion that even if Tane hadn't kissed her cheek he would have put two and two together. He was quite vigilant, even in matters like this. Gwen could see why Tane kept him around, despite him being nosy.

"Yes, she's my girlfriend," she said with a sagely nod of her head. For Gwen herself, it meant the world to her that Tane thought of what they were doing in such a tender light. It meant that she wasn't alone in feeling the way she did. She supposed they had already confirmed it with their confessions of love merely an hour ago but... Gwen enjoyed hearing it out loud, in public. It seemed more... real. More romantic, less about the sex. Though, Gwen confidently guessed, the lust she felt for Tane would never die down, nor the love she felt for her in tandem. These feelings were intertwined, just like Gwendolyn and Tane now were. To hear Tane say out loud that they were dating... it made her heart soar. She leaned her head on Tane's arm, looking to Briar with a cheeky smile.

"So... do you have an embarrassing stories about Tane?"
 
Among the racuous laughter and the harsh voices of drunk men in the background, Gwen still manages to find a way to make it melt all away for Tane, to make it so that only them existed, even for a moment. Gwen calls her "her girlfriend"; it has a ring to it that Tane never considered. It didn't necessarily properly convey the depth of feelings they held for each other, but it felt fitting. Affectionate, but playful. That they held both sexual attraction and genuine love, two halves of the same uplifting joy they derived from each other. It felt good. It felt right. Tane quietly mouths the title, loving the way it rolls off her tongue, like silk and honey. Briar, peers at the two of them, as if scanning their faces before bursting into a smile, leaning back in his chair. "Girlfriend! I like it, got a nice ring. Well," Briar says cheerfully, holding the tankard up. "Here's to a long and healthy relationship, yeah?"

When Gwendolyn asks for embarassing stories, Tane nearly chokes on her drink, spittingsome back up. "G-Gwen! And wh, pray tell, do you need to know any of those?" Tane asks, her eyes wide in surprise; the half orc has forgotten Gwen's cheeky side, that the demure smiled and soft-spoken voice hides a sharp mind and cutting humour. Briar guffaws, slapping his hand on the table.

"Oh, do I fucking ever! Stories as far as the eyes can see. I can barely choose one." The blond sits back up, moving his cup to the side, as if preparing to give a sermon. Tane groans and rolls her eyes, pressing her face into her palms; the downside of their long and fruitful partnership was that Briar had seen Tane at every bump of her life, both her highs and lows.

"How about the time I convinced Tane to oil wrestle for fifty gold coin?" Briar says with a pensive expression, tapping his finger on his chin mockingly.

"I-I, what? Briar! You said we'd never talk of that again!" Tane shoots back, one of her meaty fingers pointing at Briar acccusingly. Her face is absolutely crimson, especially hilarious in stark contrast to her unnaturally pale skin.

"The lady asked! Surely any great relationship must be forged through hardship. This is but, another trial," Briar says, barely supressing an almost childish giggle at Tane's abject embarassment, reveling in his ability to make a woman nearly twice his size blush like newlywed maiden. "So, yes. It was in the city of Madrassa! They have a local tradition, oil wrestling! Two burly men, each an avatar of strength, douse themselves in oil and clash. The winner wins a sizeable pot and, well, we were down on our luck."

Tane groans as she vividly recalls the memory; both of them were barely keeping their head above water, doing their absolute best to stretch what little coin they had. That's when they came across the wrestling contest, offering a massive sum to the winner. Tane, with her massive bulk, was deemed by Briar, to be the perfect candidate. In the end, Tane had won handily, but she was never able to live down the humiliation of being in a loin cloth, smeared from head to toe in oil, locked in fierce combat with an equally oily man. "I swear, she was as shiny as a newborn babe! If she slipped and fell, she could've slid halfway across the damn kingdoms!" Briar says, his voice choked between belly laughs, trying to sip at his drink, but failing. Tane, for her part, mumbled like a petulant child, crossing her arms across her chest, full lips in a comical pout.

"W-Well, at least I won! If you got into that ring, they would've snapped you in two," Tane says with a huff, responding by taking a massive swig of her drink before slamming it down, barking at the bartender for a refill. Tane wasn't angry, not truly; she was long used to Briar's humour, knowing it was all in good jest, simply is way of expressing fondness for Tane. For all the embarassing stories, Briar loved Tane like a sister and she loved him like a long lost brother.
 
Gwen is all giggles as usual as her mug is refilled, giving the barmaid a small thank you as she sips this time, looking to Tane with absolute innocence written on her face. "To get to know you of course". Gwendolyn had her own plethora of embarrassing stories about herself that she was sure Tane would soon learn about, depending on how good this one was. Judging by Briar's reaction to her question though, it was surely going to be juicy.

Gwen sat forward, enraptured by Briar's words, hanging on every last one as he spoke. The idea of Tane oiled up in a loincloth and nothing else is quite hilarious in and of itself, but to imagine her fighting some man whose life work likely went into such a thing, only to be bested by some outsider, and Tane no less, it was all the more enjoyable to hear. But...

"Surely the 50 coin was from you Briar, not the pot itself," Gwen snorted, laughing along with him as he spun the tale. On one hand she felt bad for embarrassing her knight, feeling her radiating like a furnace next to her by the blush on her cheeks but, on the other? She enjoyed getting to know the goofier side of Tane, the side she didn't see right away, but was now privy to much more each day. Even now, seeing her pout like a child, obviously feigning her anger for show... it was starkly different from her serious, staunch self from weeks ago. The woman she had met then had opened up to her so genuinely, Gwendolyn found herself falling more and more in love with her each passing moment, especially now.

"I have a story of myself, to make things even," Gwen announced, slamming her mug on the table. She'd finished half of her newly filled pint already, just a little tipsy, more so she was opening up, finding the confidence in her drink before the intoxication. "I don't think it's nearly embarrassing as yours but, I will allow you two to be the judge".

Gwen begins to spin her tale, starting with the morning of her 16th birthday. The whole day was an embarrassment in and of itself but, the worst thing by far was the party in the evening.

"The food had just come out and, Tane you know how extravagant these things are," she roles her eyes as she remembers the feast hours earlier, "well, it was my 16th birthday, that's a big deal. I kind of officially became a Princess then, I also began preparing for the tour the very next day... or well, I would have, if not for... the incident," she says suspiciously. She takes a sip of her mead as she prepares to tell her story, "so, out rolls this massive, six tiered chocolate cake, among other desserts suiting a royal birthday party. My Aunt, Lady Helena who we will meet sooner or later on our journey, wouldn't stop fussing over me the entire day and she continued on with it at the ball. She kept trying to force me to dance with Princes and Lords from all over the Kingdoms, and I simply wasn't having it. I wanted to go to my room, stuff myself full with cake, and go to sleep. So, when she introduced me to this old troll of a man, Lord Kaiser I believe his name was... awful fellow," she waves her hand in emphasis, grimacing as she remembers him, "and insisted I dance with him, as if I would ever even give him the time of day... I may have lost it. I sort of... kind of, perhaps accidentally... though very much on purpose... pushed my aunt into my birthday cake in the middle of the ball".

"And when I say accidentally on purpose I mean I turned around and had a full on Princess level meltdown and pushed her straight into it, face first. When she got up there was more cake on her than there was on the platter," Gwen's cheeks are bright red at the memory, obviously embarrassed by it now. "At the time I thought it was the coolest thing I'd ever done but, as it turns out, pushing your Aunt into a giant chocolate cake in the middle of a ball gets you locked away in your room for a month straight without anyone to talk to. I had to write apology letters to her once a week for a year and personally clean her dress after. It took two weeks to get the stains out".

Gwen tips her pint back, taking another drink, "again, not as embarrassing as being oiled up in a loincloth but, still".
 
Tane continues to pout as both Gwen and Briar poke fun at the massive knight, a blush hot on her cheeks and her brow furrowed. She never expected to be sharing some of her most humiliating stories with Gwen when the journey started, let alone in a dingy tavern with Briar. Yet, here they were, and despite Tane's seeming annoyance, she can't help but smile inwardly. To be able to share this moment with her, along with her closest friend, it felt like normalcy, as if they had been dating for months. Her resolve breaks and she grins before breaking into a fit of giggles and snorts herself. How could she be annoyed at this? Two of the best people in her life, two people she would lay down her life for without an ounce of hesitation. To be surrounded by them both, with drinks and laughter abound, was all she could ask for.

"Yes, we all know Briar simply wanted to see me in a loincloth. Is that true, my friend? Needed an excuse to spy my assets?" Tane replies with a hearty snort, taking another long swig from her tankard, nearly finished her second one. Briar wrinkles his nose in response, making a face as if he'd stepped in something rather unpleasant. "Hell no. I mean, don't get me wrong, you're a fetching lass. Problem being, even a confident man such as I can't help feeling a little inadequate when they see that third limb of yours trying to break out," Briar replies with a snort, waving his arm as if it was boneless. This earns a loud and hearty guffaw from Tane, nearly coughing her ale back out. Her and Briar had seen each other naked plenty of times, neither of them paying any mind to it at this point. Briar was the first to find out about her sex and he regarded it as simply a unique aspect of Tane, no different than if she had a larger then average nose.

Both of them turn to Gwen when she speaks, their eyebrows raised in curiosity; though they knew Gwen was craftier than she looked, it was hard to believe she had a story that could rate on the same scale as oil wrestling. Yet, it certainly was, if not just a bit more shocking. They both stare at her for a few minutes, dumb-founded, before bursting into laughter, Briar banging his fist on the table.

"Bloody hell, your girlfriend here is a right fucking terror," Briar exclaims, wiping a tear from his eyes, broad shoulders still shaking from the aftershocks of laughter. "First, she downs a tank on her first try and now she's bragging about toppling her aunt. Beginning to forget which one of you is the dangerous one."

Tane puts an arm around Gwen's waist again, smiling down at her, trying not to burst into laughter again. "You should her some of her other stories! Turns out we mistook her for a wallflower, but she's a wildcat. Spend too much time around on us, wouldn't be surprised if she picks up a sword, too." Tane leans down and pecks her on the cheek again, ever affectionate. Briar rolls his eyes at the sight, but is grinning at the sight nonetheless.

"Hey, hey, keep it in your pants, aye? You wanna go ask the bartender to pour us some glasses of the ole' Evergreen special?" Briar waggles his eyebrows at Gwen,. "Time to see what you're really made of, hm?" Tane rolls her eyes and gets up from her chair, playfully pushing at Briar's head, provoking a slap on the shoulder from him. She saunters off to procure three shot glasses of Evergreen's legendary whiskey, leaving Briar and Gwen alone. Briar watches Tane walk away before turning back to Gwen, his face turning rather serious.

"Do you love her?" Briar asks bluntly, staring into his mug as he swishes the liquid around, watching some of it spill off the sides. "She's been hurt before. Acts strong and all, but she's....softer than she looks. Not making any judgements on you, honest. Just.....I can't see her hurt again." Despite his serious face, Briar wasn't attempting to intimidate Gwen. Rather, he needed to know that Gwen was committed to Tane; too many women had led the orc on, using her for a fun ride under the pretense of a serious relationship.
 
Gwendolyn is used to proper conversation, such things like waving ones arm about to imitate a phallus were usually considered rude at her dinner table but, tonight she was not at her dinner table. Tonight, she was in the company of strangers and friends alike. Tonight she was treated as one of their own, and as Tane and Briar joked and pulled at each others legs, she laughed along, happy to be included.

She finished her story to the erupting laughter and cheers of Tane and Briar, the latter's words making the Princess herself burst out laughing. She certainly had been a terror in her younger days. Starting from age 10 and on, right up until she turned 17 she was a holy one at that. She had many more stories to tell, but for now she simply wanted to enjoy the company of her friend and her girlfriend, learn more about them instead.

"I'll have you know I was taught swordsmanship from age fifteen on, my love," she said with a haughty smile. "I'm not the best, certainly better at archery, but I know for a fact I could put at least a scratch or two on you". She felt confident in Tane's arms, like she could take on the world, like nothing else mattered. And nothing else really did, at least not right now. She giggles as Tane leans in to kiss her cheek, alight with a soft pink blush. As Briar convinces her love to go and get them the famed, or perhaps infamous, Evergreen whiskey, Gwendolyn's eyes light up with the challenge, and a slight tinge of nerve. She's never tried anything stronger than mead up until this point in her life, though she hadn't really been known to turn down a glass of wine when she first came of age, she didn't really have the time now to drink much beyond a glass. And considering her tiny stature and tolerance as it was, she was certain that tonight was going to be going in a very different direction from this moment on.

As Tane stood, making her way to the bar, Gwen turned to Briar, caught off guard by his question and the serious expression on his face.

This was a very new situation for her, one she didn't really know how to handle. But, she figured starting with answering his question might do the trick. Did she love Tane, she thought? Well, that was easy enough to answer... yes. More than she loved the sun and the moon, the stars about her head. More than she loved anything she'd ever loved before. She couldn't rightly say this out loud, embarrassment creeping in as she thought it, her cheeks lighting up red as she instead nodded her head, her ponytail bouncing as she looked at her mug of mead.

"I... yes," she says quickly, quietly, looking Briar in the eye for a split second. "I know she's much softer than she appears. I got the feeling when I first met her that... she wasn't the invincible, stoic woman she put herself off to be. I think that's why I took a liking to her in the first place and, why I love her now. She's..." Gwen smiles wistfully, running her thumb along the rim of her cup, "she's remarkable".

Gwendolyn thought of all the women Tane admitted to being with prior to her, the look in her eyes the two times they'd already made love, the surprise hidden there when Gwendolyn admitted her love for her after, holding onto her resolve even when not in the throes of passion. It hurt her almost. To see that she was surprised by it, the surprise laying out the fact that she had doubted her, thought the worst of her. And of course, she was not hurt by Tane herself, no. She was hurt for Tane. That she would have thought it in the first place, not of Gwendolyn herself but in general. That she would ever even have to have that fear. But, she supposed that living in a body that others considered exotic would bring about that fear, especially when it was already proven fact that it was a very valid one to have. But, Gwendolyn didn't want to be another young lady who gossiped about Tane to her friends during tea while she sat with her husbands ring on her finger years down the line. She wanted that ring to be Tane's. She wanted those friends of hers to be hearing about her wife, Tane. Hearing about all the amazing sights they'd seen on their journey together, telling them how she'd first met her, hearing their sighs at how romantic it was... sighing herself at it. She wanted to look back on the diary entries she'd written already, at the note that Tane had first left her that morning she'd woken up after their first night of drinking together and think to herself how wonderful it was that they were now married. That now, they ruled a Kingdom together! Not look back upon them and think of the romps they'd had, the sexual encounters. Though they were fantastic already and they'd barely started, Gwendolyn looked forward to more not because Tane was a good lay, but because it meant spending more time with her. Making more memories that they could share together in the future. Look back upon.

She didn't want to be another notch in Tane's bedpost. She wanted to sand those bedposts down, varnish them again, and then throw the whole thing out. She wanted to buy her a brand new bed, lie with her in it, and make her forget all about those women who had broken her heart. That was what she wanted.

But, she couldn't very well tell Briar that, and the longer she sat there looking off into the distance as she thought these things, the more she probably seemed suspicious so, she instead just shook her head, "I think I love her so much sometimes that I might explode".
 
It's a simple answer and, for the most fleeting of moments, it appeared as if it wasn't enough. Briar peered at Gwen, his piercing eyes seemingly searching for something in her facial features, a tell of some sort. A few awkward seconds pass before that pensive stare bursts into a goofy smile, letting out a small laugh and raising his mug to Gwen. "Aye, that's all this lout needed to hear," Briar replies as he takes another swig from his mug. "You're good for her, I can see it in your eyes. Kind. I only wish she met you sooner." Briar turns around in his seat to look at Tane as she orders their drinks; the half-orc was known for her vitality. She could take an arrow to the arm and shrug it off like a bee sting. One thing she was not good at, however, was a broken heart.

"But, ahhh, don't tell her we had this talk. God knows she'd snap me like a godsdamned twig," Briar asks Gwen, shooting her a sly wink.

"What talk, my dear brother?" Tane says as she walks up to the table, having snuck up on Briar in the short moment he took to talk to Gwen. Briar nearly jumps in his seat, but manages to contain his shock. Turning around, he shoots Tane a simple smile, waving his hand as if shooing her away. "Nothing, nothing. I was simply telling her about the time you nearly choked an priest of the Holy See."

Tane frowns and grumbles, sitting down in her seat. Both of her hands are full; in one hand, she holds three small glasses, each filled with an amber colored liquid. The glasses give off a heady bouquet, reminding someone vaguely of a concotion one would use to clean floors. The smell instantly gives Briar a spot of nostalgia and he sits up in his seat, rolling his neck as if he expected to perform some great physical deed. In Tane's other hand were three slices of lime. She places both a lime and a glass at each of them, sitting down with her own.

"There you go, the Evegreen special in all it's noxious glory. Now, the limes, those are to take the bite off. Soon as you finish, suck on the lime, hard as you can," Tane says as she picks up her own glass, just a little larger than the others. She stares down at the small glass, the brown liquid swirling gently and the fumes setting her nostrils aflame. There were very few things in this world that Tane feared and this drink was among them. Even so, there's a vein of excitement running through it all. She's eager to share this experience with Gwen, to see her reaction. Briar picks up his own glass and raises it up, lime clutched in the other.

"Well, to long lives and longer friendships, aye?" Briar says, an impromptu post before he knocks the drink back. Tane follows suit, downing it one a single swift gulp. Instantly, she feels a streak of burning in her throat and an intensity that feels like she's been kicked in her chest. Quickly, she takes the lime and sucks on it profusely, like a vampire sucking it dry of any life force it had. Even the sharp tang of the lime wasn't enough to fully quell the alcohol's fury, merely a mild dulling of it at best. She can feel warmth spread to the very tips of her fingers and toes, like a blast furnace brought to life in her gut. Tane lets out a low roar, trying to shrug the drink off.

"Hell, that fucking burns! Like I swallowed a fucking branding iron," Tane exclaims, thumping her meaty fist against her chest rapidly, as if forcing her body to take the rest of the drink down. Her face feels warm and she can feel the pleasant woozniess that comes from being thoroughly buzzed. Briar himself had taken it even less gracefully, face down at the table and banging his head on the table, swearing up a veritable storm.

"Y-You don't have to if you don't want to, my love," Tane says, turning to Gwen, her pale cheeks absolutely flushed from the drink. As much as she would adore for her love to join in, she can see how intimidating the drink was and wouldn't fault her for a second on wanting to opt out.
 
Gwendolyn was surprised to hear Briar's words, but certainly happy about them. She had never been stared down quite like that before, as if all of her words were being combed through to find any sense of unfaithfulness. But, Gwendolyn wasn't fearful, she hadn't told any lies. She loved Tane, genuinely and perhaps more so than she'd let on to Briar, only because she didn't have the words to properly explain her feelings. She took a sip of her mead as Tane showed up again, overhearing Briar's words. The Princess giggled into her mug as Tane's right hand man mentioned yet another embarrassing tale that Gwen would be sure to ask about when she next got Tane alone.

As Tane placed the drinks down, Gwendolyn watched her from behind her mug, hiding a smile behind the rim as she placed everything down on the table. She could feel her doubt creeping in again, it wasn't any fault of Briar's or even Tane at all but, questioning her love for her... Gwendolyn found her mind wandering. Of course she loved her, that wasn't the problem... it was more so that she wondered, was she good enough for Tane? There were things she hadn't told her yet, things about her she had trouble talking about, things she wasn't sure how Tane would react to. But, Briar had said she was good for her... and wouldn't he know her the best of anyone? In all her thinking, her mind wandering had neglected her task at hand and when she finally shook off her thoughts, she was met with the scrunched up faces of her companions moments after they'd downed their drinks.

Gwendolyn burst out laughing, watching them suck on the lime wedges as if their lives depended on it. Considering how the drink beneath her was burning her nose already and it was only wafting toward her, she wasn't quite positive that it didn't. She eyed the shot glass, unsure if it was even edible as she turned to Tane, her lover letting her know she didn't have to do it.

But was this not the reason she had come in the first place?

"No, I want to," Gwendolyn said with a resolve that would be impossible to break at this point. She eyed the drink, picking up the lime in her other hand before taking a deep breath. Here goes nothing, she thought.

She was prepared for how absolutely awful it would taste, that was certain. As it washed over her tongue, she took the taste of it in stride. It was the burning against the back of her throat as she drank it down that did her in. Gwendolyn managed to swallow it all, the lime at her lips as she sucked until it was dry just as Tane and Briar had instructed her, throwing the dry wedge back down into the shot glass before slamming it on the table. Her whole body shivered as if it were trying to shake off the burning in her throat. It went away fairly quickly with the lime's help but, a dull burn remained, and the taste still sat on her tongue, helped only a little by the bitterness of the lime. She took a sip of her mead, sighing as the honey ale calmed the burning.

"That was completely terrible," she said quickly, her cheeks flushing red as she hung her head over her mead. She felt like she'd just been kicked by a horse. There was a very short window where the drink had left her feeling more alert than ever, like she could hear the talking of people on the streets amongst the noise of those in here but, it lasted only a split second. From then on, she felt foggy, like her head was underwater. Her lips were numb, a telltale sign she was approaching drunkenness. The Princess burst into giggles when she spotted Briar. She hadn't taken it quite as gracefully as either of them but, she supposed her alcohol intolerance in this situation had only helped her. It was easier to take another shot when you were already tipsy, approaching drunk. "You weren't kidding about it burning".
 
Briar and Tane watched Gwendolyn with bated breath, half expecting her to back out. There was a palpable tension as she raised the glass to her lips and Tane swallowed nervously. As soon as Gwen finished the glass, Tane began to rise from her seat, ready to attend to her love. To both of their surprise, Gwen took it like a champ, her face scrunching up, but standing strong. Both of them clapped excitedly, Briar whooping in the background and Tane giving her lover a firm hug, planting a kiss on her cheek.

"Well, I'll be damned! Hell, she took it more gracefully than you did first time around," Briar said with a snort, sipping at his mug. Tane rolled his eyes, but had to admit she was more than impressed with Gwen; not just with being able to tolerate the Evergreen special, but how quickly she took the enviroment as a whole. There was a wide variety of aspects to Gwen that Tane loved, ones that she was more than happy to spend a good deal of time listing.

However, the one that Tane took the most was Gwen's open-mindedness. She lacked the pretension and contempt Tane was so used to receiving from nobles. There was an absolutely kind soul in her lover, a woman willing to experience all walks of life, if not to grow as a person. Tane didn't feel out of place or above her station when Gwen smiled at her. She felt loved. Desired. As if Gwen wanted nothing else in the world but to spend time with her. In return, Tane wanted exactly the same. Whether it was in a extravagant castle or a modest home in the countryside, Tane cared not. As long as she could wake in the morning and see Gwen laying at her side. To share a world and a life. To call Gwen her wife.

Partially due to her increasing drunkeness, Tane found herself slipping into dreamy sighs, staring at Gwen as if she was lost in her. Briar simply snickered as he leaned back in his chair, relishing in seeing the rough and tumble orc swoon over a woman a third of her size so shamelessly, like a lovestruck newlywed. With a hint of hesitance, Tane moves in close before wrapping a single burly arm around Gwen's waist, pulling her in close. In this dingy and rowdy bar, it probably sticks out like a sore thumb, such a naked display of affection. She presses her nose into Gwen's neck, taking in the scent of honey and vanilla, catch the ever so faint whiff of their sex. Her lips make contact with Gwen's collar bone, right next to the string of hickeys that were barely concealed by the collar of her shirt.

A small cough from Briar yanks Tane from her reverie and she sits up, ram rod straight, as if she had been caught with her hands in the cookie jar. "S-Sorry," Tane apologizes to Briar, coughing into her fist as a blush creeps up her cheeks. As if to break the awkward tension, a scuffle can be heard from across the bar. Turning around, Tane can see two men in an arm-wrestling, surrounded by other patrons cheering them on. The two competitors stare daggers at each other while their arms, veins prominent with effort, grip together in a contest of strength. A few tense seconds, ones that must feel like eons to the contestans, pass before one gives in. Their arm gives only the smallest inch, but it's enough to lose. With a resounding slam, his arm is smashed into the table, nearly pulling him out of the chair. The crowd explodes into cheers while the victor jumps from his chair to raise his arms in victory, roaring at the crowd. He's a burly man, titanic in size that's only outmatched by Tane. A shaved head and a cross face, nose crooked from what was likely a bad break. Tane squints her eyes, feeling as if she recognized him, but unable to place her finger on it.

The man looks around the bar before his eyes land on Tane. "You! Orc lady! Care to try your hand?" He barks out suddenly, pointing directly at Tane. She raises her eyebrows at the bold challenge; it's obvious that the man is drunk, dumb or brave. Likely all three. Tane rolls her eyes and ignores the challenge, turning back to the table to sip at her mead.

"What's the matter? Afraid I'll embarass you in front of your lady friend? I thought your orc folk lived for a brawl!" The man pushes Tane's buttons in just the right way, earning a slight twitch of the eyebrow from the orc. Briar, calm behind his drink, watches carefully; the man is well aware of how quickly Tane could lose her temper if someone was unfortunate enough to say just the right thing. Pushing herself away from the table, Tane rises up from her chair, showing the clear disparity in bulk. Tane takes a seat in the chair and slams her elbow down on the table, rattling it violently. Presenting her massive arm, she lets out a huff and nods her head impatiently.

"Come now. Let's settle this before my drink grows warm."
 
The noises around her seemed to fade away as Gwen settled into her drunken state, barely able to parse what Tane and Briar are talking about, let alone that it was about her. All she could really do was smile and nod along, swaying to the music in her chair. When Tane leaned in toward her, Gwendolyn leaned back, looking up at her with a cheeky smile as she let her hand rest on Tane's thigh, squeezing as she leaned into her touch, sighing as Tane kissed her collarbone, her lips hot against her skin. Gwendolyn heard Briar but unlike Tane, she didn't much care in the state she was in for listening to anyone but her own thoughts. So, when Tane pulled away, Gwendolyn was quick to wrap her arms around her thick arms and lean against her, sighing as she settled against her shoulder.

Gwen was a bit of a sleepy drunk at first, though she quickly woke up when things happened around her, such as an arm wresting competition. Her ears piqued at the sound of cheering and whooping, pulling her gaze away from, well not much of anything to be quite honest. She had spaced out there. She had never so quickly been thrown into drunkenness, it was a little bit of getting used to but, she was taking it like a champ. At least, she felt like that anyway. For now.

As the man across the tavern called Tane out, challenging her now that he'd beaten his other competition, Gwendolyn looked up at her lover, reading her expression with genuine ease. She wasn't interested, in fact she was mildly annoyed to have been called out. Gwendolyn ignores the challenge too, sipping her mead as she keeps her hold on Tane's arm, looking to Briar curiously as she follows along, barely with whats happening.

It's when the man across the way calls out Tane again, mentions Gwen, that she notices the shift on Tane's expression. Gwendolyn slowly removes herself from Tane's arm, squeezing her thigh again for good measure before both her hands make their way to her drink. She looked to Briar again as Tane stands before turning to watch her march over, closing the gap between the tables in practically one stride. Gwendolyn is unsure whether she should follow her over, for moral support of course. She looks to Briar for that, unsure of tavern manners... for lack of far better word. So, she looks to him after Tane slams her arm down on the table, offering it up to the man across from her.

"Should we... go over there?" she asks, "to cheer her on?"
 
Briar pauses for a second, his hand brushing the bottom of his chin in thought; there was a part of him that felt as if this could go sideways, but he chose to go along with if for now, to support his friend. "Why, of course! What better way to bolster her strength than to have the woman she loves and a dear friend by her side?" Briar says jovially, his pensive expression falling away to be replaced with one of excitement. He beckons Gwen to follow him, standing next to Tane as she rolled her shoulders and waited for the man to take his position. In her annoyance, Tane had forgotten about Gwen and feels a tinge of guilt, as if she forced her into some ridiculous situation with none of her input. As they stand next to her, Tane looks at Gwen, embarassment obvious in her expression. "Sorry, I'll finish this and we can go back to drinking," Tane says almost meekly, her cheeks flushed.

The burly man takes his seat, eyeing up Tane and searching her for any weaknesses. There's a flash of anger in his facial features, finding Tane's concern for Gwen over any actual hesitance she would have facing off against him galling. Grunting, he offers up his own arm and clasps Tane's hand, grip like a vice. "I see you still don't remember me, orc," he says, taunting Tane with his insistence on referring to her by her race, the name rolling off his tongue more like a slur. Tane brushes it off, but she can feel anger mounting, a small flame in her belly, slowly rising. "We fought in the Selection! Don't remember ole Hardy, eh? Didn't pose enough of a challenge?"

Tane rifles through her memory; there entire Selection had been mostly a blur, the orc more surprised that she was competing than by anyone she was competing against. Though there was one or two challenging foes, she had mostly barreled through the competition, her size and skill carrying her through the whole event. "Not ringing a bell. Do you plan on victory through lulling me to sleep, Hardy?" Tane's facial expression is that of pure boredom, the way a student stares down at a piece of schoolwork, wanting to end it as succintly as possible. This incenses Hardy and, without giving Tane so much as a warning, starts the match. His muscles bunch up as he tries to end it in an instant, bearing all his strength. This manages to make Tane budge, drawing a grunt of effort from the knight. Rolling her eyes at the immature tactic, she shifts her position and returns the favor. The biceps in her arm bulge and the table creaks loudly, as if it would shatter into splinters. With a snort of exertion, Tane slams Hardy's hand down instantly, smashing it against the table and causing the drinks that were on the table to launch into the air, landing on the dingy floor with a thud and a splash of half-drunk mead.

"Sorry I spilled your drink," Tane respons as she pulls her hand away, clenching her fist open and closed. Hardy is still in shock, holding his likely sprained arm; he expected a challenge, but to be felled in one swoop was still humiliating. He grows at Tane as she rises up from her seat and walks over to Gwen, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"To be expected. Your kind ain't good at much more than muscle anyways!" Hardy retorts, rising from the floor and still clutching his arm. He can see the tension in Tane's body, knowing her struck a never and he decides to push her. "Is that why your lass is there? She lookin' for a tumble with an 'ole bull she can tell all the lady friends about?" It's another strike at Tane's patience and Briar can see it, immediately moving to intervene between the two. Alas, it would be too late before the next insult hurls from Hardy's mouth.

"Am I right, lass? Or are you dumb enough to actually think she can provide you with anything else?"

The insult directed at Gwen are the last straw, the catalyst that set that fire of anger in her stomach abalze. In movements swift enough to shock, Tane turns around, her arm shooting out to clasp her hand around his neck. Hardy tries to claw his way out, groping at her fingers, but its like trying to bend steel bars. Tane's face is a cold fury, her brow furrowed and her eyes narrowed. She lifts Hardy into the air by his neck, his legs kicking wildly in response. She could snap his neck, Tane thinks to herself. Nothing more than a firm squeeze. Her thoughts are boiling with anger, clouding any attempt at sense.

"Tane! Sister! Drop him now," Briar barks, stepping forward to place an hand on Tane's shoulder, shaking her firmly. His voice seems far away, almost as if lost in the distnace, but it pierces through the fog of rage. Tane feels it subsiding, the red in her vision fading away. She releases Hardy, letting him crumple to the floor and cough, drawing wheezing breaths. Tane continues to stare down at him, her chest rising and falling slowly. The orc feels shame wash over her, clammy and cold. What had she done but prove everything Hardy had claimed her to be? The urge to bolt out the door takes her and she turns to look at Gwen, fear and shame on her features.

She tries to speak, but nothing comes from her throat. A part of her hopes, maybe foolishly, that Gwen could see the pain and the desire to be anywhere else, but here.
 
Gwendolyn hopped up with excitement, chasing after Briar and standing right next to Tane as a crowd began to gather around them all. She almost doesn't hear Tane as she looks at her, though sees the apologetic look on her face and quickly puts two and two together, "it's okay," Gwen exclaims, squeezing her shoulder, "really! It's part of the experience -- you were telling me about the arm wrestling, I was hoping I'd get to see you crush some of these guys". She gives Tane a cheeky smile before focusing on the competition, looking him over for a moment, almost certain Tane could beat him without so much as flexing.

Gwen hadn't been at the Selection herself, it was tradition for the Royal Arm and the Liege to meet on the first day of travel after all so she had never met this man but, one look at him and she knew he wouldn't have been right for the job. He was too self absorbed. As were most of the men who tried their hand, it just came with the promise of power of glory and money. It was all anyone trying for it could think about. But... Tane. Tane was different. She wasn't in it for the power, the glory. The money maybe, at least at first... but Gwen knew her situation. She knew it was to survive. Now though? Or at least she hoped anyhow, and believed, that Tane was in it for a much different reason.

She kept her hand tight on Tane's shoulder, urging her on as the two met hands. Gwendolyn watched as the match began without so much as a single count, the man across from Tane flexing his arm and trying to take her down with a sneak attack. Tane, ever prepared seemingly, was ready for it. That or she was simply too strong to be taken down by such obvious strategy. Gwendolyn felt her muscles bulge beneath her hand, the Princess cheering her on as she squeezed her shoulder harder before, as if in slow motion, Tane slammed his hand down against the table. Gwen watched the drinks spill, the table shake so hard she could swear the floor shook beneath her feet as well. Gwen erupted in cheers, giggling and jumping up and down before Tane stood to kiss her cheek, the little Princess all smiles and laughs.

At least, until Hardy opened his mouth. To be expected of a man like that, his first reaction is to hurl insults. Gwendolyn's smile falls immediately, her heart hammering in her chest as she stares the man down, brows furrowed both in worry and in anger. Her hand falls to Tane's elbow, gentle touch trying to convince her to pay him no mind, "hey, come on. Let's go finish our drinks, love".

Of course, men didn't know how to keep their mouths shut.

He continued, throwing punches now at Gwen. She looked at him, clearly offended. Not for herself, but for Tane. She could not care less what these men thought of her, but to insult Tane... to assume that she would ever again get with a woman who didn't truly love her? That was what pissed Gwendolyn off. She tugged at Tane's arm, knowing it wasn't worth it, knowing there wasn't a point to listening to his insults. He was a sore loser, what did it matter what he had to say? But... he had clearly struck a nerve, especially with his last words.

"T-Tane!" Gwen gasped, her grip on Tane's arm not doing much of anything in holding her back. Gwen took a step back, hands flying up to her mouth as Tane surged forward, grabbing this man by his throat and hoisting him up against the wall.

She's stuck there, standing in the middle of the room as Briar runs forward, shaking his friend back to reality. Hardy falls to the floor with a thud, his coughing and wheezing heard about the buzz of the patrons circled around them. Gwendolyn looks up to catch Tane's eye as she approaches, her hands falling from her mouth as she takes a step toward her, obviously terrified as she does. But it isn't because of Tane at all, instead the first words out of her mouth are, "are you okay?"

She's terrified because, despite her naivety around these types of things, she knows it's dangerous to brawl with drunken fools. She eyes the man from around Tane's towering form, swallowing her fear when she sees he's no where close to getting up before looking back up to Tane, asking again, "are you alright, my love? You aren't hurt?"

She sees the desire to run written plain as day on Tane's face, and she only shakes her head as she tries to speak. She doesn't need to say anything to her. She understands.

"Briar?" Gwen says quietly, looking up at the man, "Tane? Do you two want to head out of here?"

Before they answer, Gwen swallows hard, turning to look at the man crumpled on the floor, still trying to catch his breath, wheezing and clutching his throat. "Do not be such a sore loser next time, and here," she says, flipping the man a gold coin from her purse, "buy yourself a new drink".
 
The rowdy cheering of the bar has all but died, leaving stunned silence in it's wake. Hardy still clutches at his throat, hacking and coughing away. Tane looms above him, still overcome with shame and misery. Why did she let him have such an effect on her? Was it how he spoke ill of Gwen? Was it him striking at the very fears of how people see them together, fears that she had hoped would die? Regardless, Hardy had provoked her and drove her to a violence that Tane hoped to ever spare her lover seeing. She sees the terrified expression on Gwen's face and there's a fraction of a moment that she can feel her heart drop into her stomach, that she had struck terror in Gwen's heart. Hearing Gwen's concern is like a balm for the shame burning across her porcelain skin; the orc fights the urge to pick Gwen up and bear hug her in the middle of the bar.

Briar snorts in amusement at Gwen's show, watching the gold coin fall squarely on the man's nose, earning a slight flinch from the bruise and battered man. He makes a mental note that Gwen had her own scorn to not be tested.

"Right, of course. Party was dragging on a tad anyways," Briar says in response to Gwen, surprised by how quick on the draw she was. The man walks up to Tane and punches her in the chest playfully, a grin to counter her morose expression. "Come on, you giant lug. Let's pack it in for tonight, yeah?" Tane nods numbly before clasping onto Gwen's hand, holding the dainty appendage tightly. They make their way out of the bar, Briar passing by the bartender and mouthing an apology quietly as the door slams behind them. Out on the street, they're enveloped in the muggy spring air of Evergreen, the streets mostly empty.

Sighing and turning around to Tane, he frowns at the half-orc's sullen expression. She looks positively uncomfortable in her own skin, fidgeting and doing her best to avoid eye contact with Gwen. Briar considers going to console Tane again, but he knows that's not what she needed, not now. Striding over to Gwen, he places a hand on her shoulder and leads her away for a second. "You mind if we just," Briar begins, looking at Tane. There's a flash of hesitance in her crimson eyes, some suspicion, before Tane relents, nodding and letting go of Gwen's hand. Briar waits until they're just out of earshot before he speaks up, occasionally looking up to see if Tane can pick up what they're saying.

"Listen. I've seen her kill men with her bare hands. I've seen the worst she has to offer. No secrets, no shame between us. Tane doesn't need my consolation," Briar whispers, leaning in close to Gwen. "She needs yours. She's not worried about how I see her, she's worried about how you do. You're a good woman, Gwen. Good for her. I trust you know what to do." He finishes and pulls away, shooting her that confident lopsided smile of his. Briar knows the limit of his abilities, knows when sometimes he's needed and when sometimes he's not. He can see the positive effect Gwen's very presence has on Tane, the way Tane seems to practically glow whenever Gwen looks at her.

"Well, I should make way back to camp. Get some well-deserved rest," Briar says with another of his comical flourishes, giving them both a royal bow before turning on his heel. "You two have a good night! Stay out any more fights, for my sake."

Tane laughs quietly in response, watching Briar as he makes his way down to street, back to the camp. There's an awkward silence between Gwen and Tane, the latter chewing on her lip, trying to form words. She wrings her hands and cuts an entirely different picture than the one most people were used to seeing; vulnerable. Hurt. Part of her wants to go hide in the corner, shut her eyes and hope she wakes from a particularly stressful dream.

"I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have...you know..."Tane stammers, feeling like a child apologizing for knocking over a vase. "I humiliated you. Your knight shouldn't act like nothing more than...a....a brute." She looks down at her hands, clenching them tightly before letting them fall limpy by her sides.
 
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