Once Upon a Rescue [AswanFox - Shura]

[AswanFox]

Clovis paused on a ridge, looking back at the ruins of the monolithic structure which now lay behind them.
It had been three long days since the destruction of the sorcerer, though the Iron Tower still stood, after a fashion. Its polished black facade still glinted slightly in the rays of the setting sun, and stood thousands of tails high, as the young beastman reckoned things. Even a week out in mountainous terrain, and with several hundred feet blown off the top, it dominated the landscape.
How we ever reached the summit I have no idea. Clovis thought to himself. Even with the aid of those lifting contraptions Kevel devised for us.
The vulpine's broad ears drooped. Kevel, the party's inventor, now lay beneath a humble cairn of rocks at the foot of the black tower. As did Ulfin, and Flint, and-
"Come along, Clovis! We've had time enough to take in the sights, eh?"
Letting out a heavy sigh, Clovis turned his gaze back down the trail, to where the party's other three surviving members, plus one, picked there way along the boulder strewn trail down the mountain.
"Coming, Master!"
In truth, the group probably could have made better time without its leader, Clovis mused cynically. Gautrick, the blond-haired, blue-eyed, latern-jawed, 6' 10" human noble who had assembled the group had a sense of direction inversely proportional to his skill with a broadsword, and Gautrick was an excellent swordsman.
He was also, by right of saving the young beastman's life, Clovis' master.
The demiurges save me... he thought to himself, scampering nimbly down across the rocks to join up with the rest of the party.
It wasn't that Gautrick was not good at what he did. As mentioned, he used his sword very well. However, he was unfortunately burdened with a very small amount of humility, and an overabundance of arrogance and stubbornness. Oh, he was fair enough to the rest of the party; they were all human, or close enough, and thus deserving of some respect.
Clovis, on the other hand...
As the vulpine came up to the rear of the small group, he looked up to see a canteen come flying at his face. Reflexively, he caught it with both hands.
Gautrick, looking over his shoulder, nodded to Clovis.
"Have a drink, pup; you ought to need one by now, with all that fur!"
Glowering, Clovis raised the canteen in acknowledgement, and took a swig, his ear twitching as he heard Gautrick speaking again.
"Heh, always have to keep that one on track, Clovis... he's tamer now, I suppose, but y'should've seen 'im when we first met! Beastfolk will always be beastfolk, though..."
Gautrick, ignoring Clovis as if he weren't there, was speaking to the princess. She was walking just behind him, keeping mostly to herself.
Gautrick of course intended to marry her, a fact he made no attempt to hide; it was all Clovis could do not to laugh at this notion. The young bard had not really been able to speak to the princess, not really having been given the chance; Gautrick rarely left her free to speak to anyone, and seemed to have convinced her that Clovis was little more than his pet.
Pets were amusing, but not to be conversed with.
Clovis was, of course, a bit more than that to the party; a bard by trade, he was blessed with a silver tongue and a quick wit, and cursed with an insatiable curiosity, to which the princess proved an aching provocation. She was beyond his experience with humans, and would probably remain so.
With a sigh, the bard looked past Gautrick, down the slope to the cluster of lights in the valley below.
If their leader didn't get them lost again, the party would, for the first time in nearly a month, be able to spend the night in decent beds; even Clovis, assuming the place hadn't changed its policies regarding beastfolk.
Hefting his small pack, the young vulpine focused on this, and continued down the trail.

The party was indeed able to reach the village before nightfall, but only just. As they hurried in through the town gates, the last sliver of the disc of the sun was crawling down below the mountain peaks, casting the valley into shadow. The air was cold, even to Clovis, who drew his tunic about himself as the group checked into a ratty inn.
The group had come through the village on their way to face the Sorcerer, and received a better welcome now than they had then. The place boasted little in the way of amenities; still, the presence of the princess did much to impress the innkeeper, who insisted on providing his best rooms, at a considerable discount of course.
This was in a place where running water and clean beds were considered the highest luxuries, but what could one expect on the frontier.
Once lodgings had been secured, Gautrick, in a manner he doubtless thought befitting, took the princess by the hand, leading her up to her room. At the door, he bowed to her graciously.
"Your chambers, my lady. I do apologize for the accommodations, but it will be some time yet before we reach... proper civilization."
He turned to Clovis, gesturing toward him with a smile.
"Should you require anything, Clovis will remain here with you."
The young bard stiffened.
"But-!"
The village had only two things of true note; the inn, which the party now occupied, and a nearby tavern, the Cantering Steed. Said tavern was really the only thing around which Clovis bore any fond memories of; the trail had been exceptionally dull, and if he could slip away from Gautrick, the vulpine had looked forward to practicing his trade. In places such as this, storytellers were well appreciated, even the furred variety.
Gautrick looked sternly at Clovis.
"Clovis, you will remain with the princess. Attend and watch over her. Here."
The human tossed Clovis a small leather purse.
"Have the innkeeper bring the both of you something to eat, and attend to our gear."
Clovis considered protesting, but merely sighed. By this time, he was used to getting the short end of the stick, and Gautrick refused to be argued with.
"Yes, Master."
Gautrick nodded, smiling.
"Good boy."
Turning around, Gautrick clapped the other two members of the party on the shoulders, leading them away. One of them looked back at Clovis helplessly, but there was nothing they could do.
Clovis glanced down at the purse, and then at the princess, realizing suddenly that this was the first time they had actually been alone together. Nervously, the young bard cleared his throat, hesitating for a few moments before speaking.
"Um... would... you like anything?" He asked, canting his head slightly in the way animals did to show curiosity.

 

[Shura]

Arianna Celeste Reinvaldt dragged her feet a bit as she walked beside her soon to be husband. Skilled with a sword, relatively good looks, and now a national hero, Gautrick was everything a typical princess would want in their savior. Yet… Gautrick was far from being the knight in shining armor Arianna had dreamed of as a child. She wasn’t childish demand being carried through a field of flowers, nor did she expect to be carried off into the sunset on a thoroughbred stallion. But she would have appreciated someone a bit less conceited than the square-jawed blond. So much so that she would have gladly been taken captive by the wicked sorcerer that had abducted her for unknown reasons….. Okay, maybe that was pushing it a bit, but the bottom line was that she wasn’t happy.

While she’d been overwhelmed with a sense of gratitude towards the men who had come to her rescue. It didn’t take long before Arianna realized that Gautrick was more in love with himself than anything else. Waving his petty noble lineage in her face and reminding her how great he was at every opportunity he got. She’d heard briefly of the losses the group had gone through to reach her, but there wasn’t a single mention of the deceased, nor the strange large eared creature that quietly scampered around the three human survivors of the wreckage that had been the Iron Tower.

Three long tedious days had passed since then, and Arianna was completely worn out. Unlike the other members of the group who had hardened themselves on the hard road, Arianna had spent much of her life confined by the palace walls that both protected, and imprisoned her. Never one to stay put though, she’d slipped out of the castle and onto the streets below on a few occasions, yet those experience were few and far between, and hardly comparable to three days of trekking… in what felt and probably was circles.

Thankfully her streak of bad luck seemed to be coming to an end as a small settlement came into view. A series of shambled buildings that looked hardly fit to occupy, Arianna would have fervently opposed spending the night in such a place a few nights ago, but her perception had changed drastically as of late, and she welcomed a roof over head now, regardless of how dingy it looked. Hopefully she’d even be able to secure a room to herself and avoid the constant ear-splitting snores that erupted from Gautrick and his fellow fighters.

She managed to smile politely at the innkeep when they arrived. The man’s instance on giving her the best room was flattering, but judging from the interior she doubted she could expect much. Furthermore the lack of occupants made it pretty clear to her that the best room was probably only one of many vacant rooms which weren’t being used. Regardless she might have been grateful towards Gautrick had the man not suddenly reached for her hand. The side of her lip twitching as she forced yet another smile, trying to keep calm and not point out how inappropriate it was for Gautrick to be grabbing at her as if she were his property already.
“Thank you.. Sir Gautrick, I look forward… to proper civilization…” she murmured, trying her best to seem polite and understanding.

Though her façade crumbled the moment Gautrick disappeared with his lackeys. Leaving her alone in the rickety inn with the large eared creature that had been referred to as Clovis. After an awkward moment of silence Arianna figured it best to ignore the creature, seeing as how it clearly objected to being left alone with her. Arianna herself wasn’t too keen on being accompanied by such a strange furry creature. Gautrick was a simpleton that could be read like an open book. But Clovis…. Well, she didn’t even know if his kind knew what a book was.

Figuring that there was no point debating the creature’s intelligence, she decided to ignore Clovis. Instead making her way across the room and elegantly resting her backside against the cushioned sheets. Her cerulean blue eyes had only begun to wander the room when she was suddenly interrupted by the creature asking her if she needed anything. A mild look of surprise flickering on her face as she glanced at Clovis curiously
“I didn’t think you were allowed to talk to me” she stated rather bluntly, her harsh words losing much of their sting from her tone of voice. Though it was quite clear she was a bit upset at Clovis for whatever reason.
“No matter… Would you mind getting the innkeep to fix up something for me to eat? It’s been awhile since I had a proper meal” she continued.
“After you’re done with that though, you can go join your beloved master, I assume you want to join him at the tavern we passed earlier?”

 

[AswanFox]

"I didn't think you were allowed to talk to me."
Clovis blinked at the princess' words; Arianna, he remembered she was called. While he had hardly expected a congenial response, he had hoped that this other human would treat him a little better than Gautrick.
Inwardly, he berated himself; he had yet to encounter a human who did not act this way to some degree, and Arianna was nobility to boot.
Briefly, their gazes met, and Clovis received a surprise. Most humans showed outright contempt for his people, but all he saw in the princess' expression was...
Curiosity?
"Ah. Well-"
"No matter… Would you mind getting the innkeeper to fix up something for me to eat? It’s been awhile since I had a proper meal." Arianna continued. "After you’re done with that though, you can go join your beloved master, I assume you want to join him at the tavern we passed earlier?"
Clovis ear twitched, and he sighed, looking at the floor. He bowed slightly; in fact, it was the same kind of subtle and practiced bow used by members of the royal court.
'Beloved' is not the word I would have used.
"I... doubt I could stay there, highness. Master Gautrick would likely send me straight back here."
He rose from his bow, checking the purse he had been given briefly.
"But, I shall see what I can do about the meal, though I apologize in advance for its likely quality."
With that, Clovis turned and strode toward the door, mentally grumbling to himself about his situation.

Clovis returned, some time later, with a beaten copper tray bearing what the innkeeper touted as his finest cuisine. To be fair, it was hardly poor food; the vegetables and greens were fresh this time of year, and the scent of baked fish and fried dormouse was enough to make the young bard's mouth water.
And I suppose stealing a few chips is out of the question. Clovis grumped to himself as he knocked on Arianna's door.
Clovis had already eaten, though much poorer fare; while the princess' meal was being prepared, he had been grudgingly served a few items of what the kitchen had ready; mainly, a thin vegetable soup and a nearly cooled chicken leg.
Willing his stomach not to grumble, he spoke.
"I've returned with your meal, highness; may I enter?"

 

[Shura]

Mildly surprised to hear that Clovis wouldn’t be taking her generous offer, and scampering off to the tavern, Arianna refrained from making any further comment as to how the creature should spend it’s evening. Judging from the way it had acted earlier, it was quite obvious to the young princess that Clovis either had something better to do, or simply didn’t want to spend more time around her than necessary. Either way it suited her just fine, and she wasn’t going to complain. She was sort of getting used to having bad company thanks to Gautrick anyway.

Flopping down on the bed as Clovis made his exit, her eyes stared blankly up at the ceiling, wondering how much longer she’d have to endure life on the road. She didn’t really know how far away she was from home, but according to Gautrick there was a fair distance to cover before she could enjoy the comforts of her own bed. She didn’t really miss eating alone at the huge banquet table, but she would do nearly anything for Jeremiah; the head chef’s cooking right now. She wasn’t daft enough to expect something so grandiose here at the Cantering Steed, but she hoped for something more edible than dried nuts and fruits.

With nothing to do, and no one to talk to, Arianna sighed loudly. A good few minutes had passed since Clovis had hurried off to fetch her something to eat. And being the impatient girl she was, Arianna figured it’d be better to eat down stairs. Perhaps she could hide her identity and try befriending the innkeep’s daughter or wife?

Reaching for the door, she was startled when she suddenly heard Clovis on the other side. Frowning disappointedly, she doubted Clovis would let her wonder around freely, and even if he did, the strange creature would probably give away her identity, meaning that everyone she came across would interact with her in the same stuffy way the strange creature did.

Not bothering to respond, she opened the door herself, disappointment still evident on her lips as she ushered Clovis in and closed the door behind him. It wasn’t quite the feast she’d be treated to back home, but judging from the interior of the inn, Arianna guessed that the innkeep had tried the best he could.

Making her way over to a small wooden table in one corner of the room, she sat down swiftly and motioned for Clovis to bring the food over.
“You certainly took your time” she complained, looking over the food and finding it adequate. She couldn’t really identify some of the meat and vegetables, but she figured if it was served on a plate, it was edible enough.
“I’m guessing you’ll be heading off now then since you didn’t bring up anything for yourself?” she asked, completely oblivious to the fact that Clovis had been given scraps to nibble on already.

 

[AswanFox]

Clovis started slightly when Arianna opened the door without a reply, the cup and utensils clinking on the plate as he stepped back a pace.
"You certainly took your time."
"I-"
Clovis very briefly gritted his teeth in frustration as Arianna looked over the food. She looked disappointed with something, and it grated on the young fox; doing his best to compose himself, he followed the princess inside.
"I’m guessing you’ll be heading off now then since you didn’t bring up anything for yourself?"
Clovis tried to maintain his calm.
"I ordered their best. The kitchen had to make most of it from scratch. I ate while I waited."
Carefully, he walked over to the table, placing the tray down carefully.
"And like I said, I don't really have anywhere to go, highness."
Clovis had had just about as much as he could take, that day. Tired, hungry and overworked, he had been cheated out of his only chance to relax after days on the road, and was being treated no better by his charge than he was by his Master.
Satisfied that Arianna could start into her meal by herself, he walked to the nearest window, looking out across the rooftops of the village.
"This is a human settlement, at any rate. My kind is rarely welcome unaccompanied."
He glanced back at the princess.
"I expect I'm not welcome here either, though. Correct?"

((Sorry this is a little short.))

 

[Shura]

Arianna herself wasn’t in the best of moods, but then again who would be after three pointless days of trekking through the wild with someone like Gautrick. While Clovis wasn’t constantly in-her-face like the blond, Arianna had to admit that she didn’t really feel safe around the bizarre creature. It was clear that Clovis was more intelligent, or at least more civilized then a common monster roaming the wilderness, but having seen his kind for the first time, Arianna wasn’t exactly able to just dismiss Clovis’s inhuman appearance as something trivial.

The princess’s lip twitched when she heard that Clovis had already eaten. A disapproving frown creeping it’s way onto her face as she turned her back on the food and at the animal. Thinking that she’d been forced to wait alone in the room while Clovis helped himself to the same meal. She would have complained about that too, but she found herself too tired for an argument. Just like Clovis, Arianna wanted to relax and be at ease for the first time in days. If Clovis was preventing her from doing that, she could either kick him out, or….

Sighing loudly, she placed the fork she’d picked up earlier down.
“You’re not welcome here if you’re going to keep avoiding me like that”
The moment she opened her mouth, her intention to make peace with the animal deteriorated. Like the flow of water from a running tap, once her frustrations were formed into words, she simply couldn’t hold them back.
“What’s up with you anyway? You’ve been avoiding me since the first day I met you, I mean I know I stink, but how come you’re fine being around meathead and not me?”

(Short doesn’t bother me at all, I actually think it’s better for interaction intensive posts like these)

 

[AswanFox]

Clovis blinked, turning back around to face the princess as she launched into a tirade against him. Reaching up, he massaged his temples, ears twitching at Arianna's words.
"You’re not welcome here if you’re going to keep avoiding me like that!" she scolded. "What’s up with you anyway? You’ve been avoiding me since the first day I met you, I mean I know I stink, but how come you’re fine being around meat-head and not me?"
Clovis' ears slicked back in agitation, and he bared his teeth slightly.
"GAUTRICK?!"
Something seemed to have snapped in the slender male. The young bard began to pace in agitation, glancing at Arianna when he spoke.
"I'm not fine with being around 'meat-head', highness, just resigned, you understand? You think you don't like Gautrick's company? I've had to put up with him for nearly a year, while he went in search of you. You'll forgive me for being a little bitter."
Clovis gesticulated as he paced.
"As for why I haven't been able to talk to you? You may have noticed, Gautrick doesn't let me get a word in edgewise. 'Pup, go scout ahead', 'pup, watch our backs', 'pup, keep those ears out'. I'm a bard, by the demiurges, but you'd never know it; I haven't been allowed to perform in months!"
The young bard collapsed into a nearby chair, holding his head.
"I follow Gautrick because I'm obligated. He saved my life once. You may think my kind are just simple animals, highness, but we take these things very, very seriously."

 

[Shura]

Expecting Clovis to either ignore of or jump to his masters defense. Arianna didn’t know how the strange creature would react to her remark, but she certainly hadn’t expected to find someone who shared her views on the dense brick wall known as Gautrick. The realization was even enough to make her forget her fear as Clovis made an expression even Arianna could easily comprehend. She didn’t really feel guilty for the things she’d said, but she supposed the avoidance was mutual. She couldn’t be sure if Gautrick was ordering Clovis around to keep him away from her, or if scampering around was Clovis’s normal role within the group, but judging from how he’d been left behind with her at the inn. She figured Gautrick didn’t really think of Clovis to be all that of a threat to her. For starters, not even an idiot would assume that a princess like her could take an interest in a savage bipedal animal like Clovis.

Taking a deep breath, and calming herself down. She arrogantly motioned for Clovis to come over from the window sill. Not even bothering to turn her head.
“If you’ve resigned yourself to being with Gautrick, how about you resign yourself to being around me as well?” she huffed.
“I don’t know how long your obligation’s going to last, but it’s likely we’ll be seeing a lot more of each other… Especially since my father will probably marry me off to the idiot.” Grumbling unhappily at the thought, she doubted her father would have much chance if Gautrick asked for her hand in marriage seeing as how the royal family was now indebted to the square-jawed ape.

Uncertain how her next comment would come out, Arianna hesitated a bit, but eventually gave in. Waving her hand and motioning the seat opposite to her as she finally turned her head to look into Clovis’s brown eyes.
“You’re welcome to stay around me if you stop calling me highness, you probably aren't even registered as a proper citizen so I’m just plain Arianna to you” she smiled a bit, hoping that Clovis would drop the formalities. The fact that he’d expressed his true feelings to her was definitely a plus, so the only thing that remained was the stuffy formalities that felt way out of place.

 

[AswanFox]

Clovis blinked at Arianna, listening to her words; he had to say, he hadn't expected her to be quite so sympathetic, even if that seemed a relative term at the moment.
He massaged his temples, shaking his head clear. His broad ears began to perk back up.
"Urgh... I really feel for you, there. Being almost a slave is bad enough, but I would truly hate to be married to 'im."
Lifting his head, the young bard blinked; for a change, Arianna was looking at him, her soft teal eyes meeting his gaze.
Understandably, Clovis had seldom noticed human women before; the females of his race were different in many ways. However, there were certain standards of beauty which seemed to be shared in common across many species, and Arianna...
I guess I can see why Gautrick wants her. Clovis mused to himself, his eyes quickly and privately scanning over the slender, raven-haired noblewoman.
She motioned for him to come over to her, and with a small smile, he did so, giving a small chuckle at her words. She was right; he doubted he counted as a citizen. Beastfolk counted for almost nothing, in general.
And I've never been able to understand what makes the 'noble class' so special, anyway. Clovis mused to himself, taking his seat.
"I guess that's fair, your high-... Arianna."
He considered how the word felt on his tongue. It was nice to be on a first-name basis with someone on this quest.
"And you can just call me Clovis, if you like. At your service... or something."

 

[Shura]

Shooting Clovis a stern look when he started calling her ‘highness’ again, the look on her face silently telling the fox that dire consequences awaited him if he continued to address her by her title and not her name.
The cold gaze immediately softened back to their original state though when Clovis corrected himself, and while it did feel a bit awkward to have someone calling her by her name, it was a welcome awkwardness that felt a bit refreshing.
“At my service? Well princess or not, I suppose you’re duty bound to help me out tonight” Arianna mumbled, not looking to happy with the idea. Having Clovis around didn’t bother her too much, but the idea of him being around her solely because Gautrick had told him to was both uncomfortable and disappointing.

Picking up the fork and knife, she started on her meal, elegantly cutting up a slice of fish and slipping it into her mouth. The flavor a bit rough, but delicious and tasty compared to what she’d been eating the past few days.
Suddenly getting an idea though, a small smile formed on her lips as she looked over at Clovis with a somewhat playful look.

Taking a few moments to chew and swallow the food, Arianna moved to cut a second piece. Though this time she raised the fork towards Clovis, actually winking one of her bright eyes at him.
“You’re at my service right? Well I need you to check if the food’s poisoned or not then. If you refuse to eat, I’ll assume the food really is poisoned.” She smiled, quite clearly messing around. She’d already taken the first bite, so there really wasn’t a need to test the food anymore. Quite frankly she doubted she could finish the meal herself, and the thought of making Clovis sit there and watch her eat silently was both awkward and rude.

 

[AswanFox]

"At my service? Well princess or not, I suppose you’re duty bound to help me out tonight."
Clovis shrugged, a little sheepishly he found, at Arianna's words. Despite her tone, the nervousness began to fade from the bard's smile.
"Well, maybe we shouldn't think of it like that... I mean, we haven't really gotten a chance to get acquainted before now; Gautrick isn't here to interrupt us, so... it's a social occasion now, hm?"
He watched as Arianna cut into her food, his stomach grumbling slightly at the sight. He was keenly aware of his own meager dinner, and looked away from the tray uncomfortably.
His attention was attracted back by what the princess said next.
"You’re at my service right? Well I need you to check if the food’s poisoned or not then. If you refuse to eat, I’ll assume the food really is poisoned."
"P-Poisoned?" he replied, blinking as he watched Arianna lift another bite to her mouth. "I don't think-"
Clovis paused, and chuckled quietly. Nodding in grateful understanding, he lifted a fork and speared one of the precisely cut fish pieces, taking a bite and savoring it.
Mountain catfish. I guess the innkeeper wasn't exaggerating too much.
He smiled.
"Seems to be healthy enough." He confirmed, politely taking another bite. "Then again, I expect most things are better than those trail rations we've been eating."

 

[Shura]

Feeling a bit uneasy, she wasn’t sure how Clovis would react to her offer at first. Her hand trembling slightly as she held it out. She’d never done this before, and there was something awfully ticklish about the idea of feeding someone else. Yet it wasn’t even the slightest bit unpleasant. On the contrary Clovis actually looked pretty cute when he opened his mouth to take the food. A sudden weight being placed on the edge of the fork, Arianna tensed a bit, feeling anxious. The possibility of accidentally poking the creature somewhere sensitive with the tips of the fork was something she was wary of until Clovis finally pulled away. The brief second seeming like an eternity.

“Hmm, I’m not convinced” Arianna murmured, piercing what looked to be a slice of sweetened carrot, before offering it to Clovis once more. It probably would have just been easier to tell Clovis to help himself, but with only one set of silverware, Arianna would have to give up control of the dinner, furthermore she doubted Clovis would take them anyway. Being a princess, she didn’t even consider the possibility of eating with ones own hands.

She probably should start eating her own dinner, but there was plenty left, and her maternal side was enjoying their little game a bit too much. Her expression was anything but maternal though, a childish full blown smile, and sparkling blue eyes staring expectantly into Clovis’s. It’d been a good few years since she’d been able to get this excited, and she wasn’t going to let the ‘fun’ slip by her. She’d suffered enough these past few days. Selfish or not, she wasn’t about to give up and eat her food the way a proper princess should.

 

[AswanFox]

Clovis, likewise, was smiling rather broadly now, his features more relaxed than Arianna had likely ever seen them. Leaning forward, he carefully took the food as he was offered it, savoring each bite.
"Heh... well, just let me know when you are." He replied, licking his lips slightly. "I certainly can't complain about a job like this."
It was a strange sensation to Clovis; he couldn't recall being fed like this before, except as a very young kit. It was an interesting little game, and as he'd expressed, a tasty one.
As they shared the meal, they maintained eye contact, Clovis' expression having shifted to one of playful curiosity.
I wonder how we got to something like this so quickly? He mused to himself, studying Arianna and her actions as he did so. He had spent quite a lot of time around humans, naturally, but there were still some eccentricities of their expressions he was still getting the hang of.
Now seen in the right light and frame of mind, Clovis himself was looking much better to Arianna than he had on the trail, from a general standpoint. Unlike most of the party, he seemed much more fastidious about his personal hygiene; his sleek, soft fur was brushed and healthy, and though none of them had had an opportunity to bathe recently, his scent was not an obtrusive or altogether unpleasant one. His slender, wiry frame and pointed vulpine features combined in a way which made him at once disarmingly cute and - in an animalistic way - quite handsome.
Between bites, he spoke to Arianna.
"So, since I doubt you want to be asked about Gautrick of formality anymore..." probed Clovis, swallowing a piece of fish. "What would you like to talk about, if anything?"

 

[Shura]

While Arianna wasn’t aware what constituted as hygiene and cleanliness amongst Clovis’s kind, she had naturally noticed how the fur seemed well kept. Had Clovis appeared before with matted unkept fur and covered in filth, she might have mistaken him to be one of the sorceror’s many monster minions. But the look of intelligence in Clovis’s eyes had made it quite clear that wasn’t the case.

Offering Clovis a few more bites, Arianna finally noticed her own hunger when her stomach grumbled shyly, almost sounding pleading. She shot the furred creature a shy look before poking at a few of the vegetables and bringing it to her lips. Staring down at the fork, and then back at Clovis as if uncomfortable with something. She knew it was silly, but she couldn’t get used to the feeling of sharing a fork, plate or even canister with someone else. She’d pointedly told Gautrick off in an arrogant posh voice when he’d offered her his canister. If she remembered correctly Clovis had been nearby during the incident too…. But seeing as how he hadn’t turned his head towards her at the time, she figured he hadn’t heard anything.

Taking a deep breath, and popping the food in her mouth. She looked nervously over at Clovis, maintaining eye contact as she quietly chewed her food. Wondering if the fox-like creature would point out or remember such a trivial incident. The thought of sharing cutlery with Gautrick grossed her out even now. But doing so with Clovis didn’t feel dirty at all. The best reasoning she could come up with was likening Clovis to a pet. Sleeping with another man would make her uncomfortable, but a dog or cat didn’t bother her at all regardless of the animal’s gender.

Being given the chance to select a topic, her mind ran over a few ideas. The obvious selection was the journey Clovis and the others had endured to rescue her… but with the recent passing of several companions it didn’t seem all that appropriate, furthermore Arianna had heard quite enough about the ’Adventures of Gautrick’.
“I don’t really know” she admitted, absent mindedly cutting up the fried dormouse now and offering it to Clovis.
“I mean I doubt we have that much in common, but if it wouldn’t be too much of a hassle, I wouldn’t mind learning a bit more about you?... I mean I know your name, and that you’re indebted to musclehead, but that’s pretty much it. … I guess I’m curious as to what animal you’re closest to? Wolf? Dingo? Fox maybe?”

 

[AswanFox]

Clovis had, from the time Arianna had insisted on feeding him, been worried that she would have him go back downstairs to get her another fork when she was done; he remembered how she had reacted to Gautrick when he had offered to share his canteen with her. To his surprise, though, after a brief moment of hesitation, she seemed to have no trouble.
As she offered him a strip of edible dormouse, he smiled nervously and accepted, quite amazed at the small intimacy being presented to him.
He wondered briefly what might have made him different enough from Gautrick and the others that the princess didn't mind it, but decided that it probably didn't matter very much.
Their gazes remained on one-another, and Clovis, his curiosity quite thoroughly engaged, continued to study Arianna as the two of them ate. When she spoke again, he smiled a little sheepishly; it was a common enough question by others during his travels, though few had asked him outright; his variety of beastfolk was not native to the area.
"Heh... it's alright. I've been a bit of a curiosity ever since I came here." He replied, picking up and examining a corked green bottle and working it open. "I'm actually from quite far away. To the far south, there's a vast desert region, with many species of animals different from any I've seen in these parts."
He indicated his broad ears, which twitched slightly as they tracked a small sound.
"My people are descended from fennec foxes, small desert creatures. These ears are more than just for show; I can't sweat, so they radiate my body heat. And they also make me a pretty good listener."
He shrugged.
"As for how I came to be in this part of the world; that's a very, very long story, if you'd like to hear it."
He glanced outside.
"I probably have time to tell it, if you like..."

 

[Shura]

“Foxes….” She repeated in amazement, looking Clovis skeptically as he looked quite different to the type of fox Arianna was used to seeing. She couldn’t think of any reason why Clovis would like about such a simple topic, and hence concluded it was probably true, but whatever a ‘fennec’ was most likely made a significant difference to the physical appearance of foxes down south… or maybe they were just a different breed of creature that had mistakenly been included in the fox family by human tongue? Either way Arianna was neither scholar or an investigator and it didn’t really matter to her what Clovis was as long as she liked him as a person.

“You can’t sweat?” Arianna asked seeming really intrigued by that specific point.
“That explains why you don’t smell offensive like the others, in fact you sort of smell kind of nice” she added innocently, her words not even meaning to be a compliment, having grown up as a princess meant she was more used to expressing herself more honestly than others. Of course, she knew when to keep her mouth shut so as to not offend the other nobles, but when she saw something desirable in another she had no reason to hold it back.

Thinking about the offer being made, Arianna too glanced outside, thinking about the time, how long she had before Gautrick would return, and whether she’d be interested in hearing such a long-winded story. Clovis had mentioned how he was a bard earlier, and she didn’t doubt that Clovis would be able to spin a more interesting tale than ’Sir Gautrick the omnipotent do’er of all’ but it hardly seemed like a topic to be doing over dinner. At least not for as long as they were both eating.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t interested…. But do you think story time could wait until after dinner? I used to have a talented bard tell me bedtime stories when I was younger, I know it’s not a lady-like thing to do, but this isn’t the palace, and if it’s one friend to another, I doubt I need to worry about etiquette too much?”

 

[AswanFox]

((Sorry I haven't posted in a while. Real life intervened, as did a bout with writer's block.))

Clovis smiled, shrugging to Arianna as she considered what he said. Most people were at the very least incredulous when he explained his heritage; it was nice to meet someone who seemed genuinely curious.
He chuckled as she mentioned his scent, spreading his arms modestly.
"Heh, thank you... I suspect it's purely practical on my species' part. One does not waste water in the desert."
Reclining slightly in his chair, the young bard looked out of the window as he saw the princess do so. Staring out across the rooftops, he considered much the same things; Gautrick always took a very long time at the tavern, drink being a weakness of his. Clovis could only hope that he did not spend more gold than the party could spare.
Clovis doubted he or Arianna would be yet awake for his return, a fact he did not resent.
He nodded at her words, smiling in his charming way.
"Not at all. The bedtime story is an art I seldom have opportunity to practice; it will be good to do so."
Clovis looked over at Arianna from the window, still smiling widely.
"And... I'm glad to be considered your friend, Arianna; I shall henceforth consider you mine, in kind." He replied, chuckling slightly. "Probably the nicest thing someone has considered me during this whole enterprise..."

 

[Shura]

Arianna frowned at the mention of wasting water, recalling how Gautrick had constantly drank out of his canister. Drinking itself wasn’t a problem, but the way he drank was appalling, his head cocked back as the water trickled down his chin and dampened his clothes. She wondered if that was considered wasting, or if there was some practical use, like keeping cool? Either way they weren’t in a desert right now, and even if they were, she’d imagine Gautrick to be a special exception.

Though, she had to admit she was a bit surprised when Clovis accepted her offer of friendship. In truth she hadn’t expected him to respond at all to that. The palace maids and guards certainly hadn’t, often opting to smile sheepishly before excusing themselves by mentioning some long forgotten chore they needed to complete. Even the street girl she’d befriended during one of her sneak-out adventures had started avoiding her when her identity had been revealed….

Sharing the rest of the meal between Clovis and herself, she wiped her lips with a napkin, looking over the empty plates in awe. She honestly hadn’t been able to finish even half the meal, but apparently her stomach had been emptier than she’d thought… or she’d fed Clovis more than half the meal…. Which was actually possible.

“Right, of course. I suppose the choice between being a friend of mine, and the mangy creature that scouts ahead, isn’t that hard to make.” She laughed, trying to mimick the haughty voice of her savior as she quoted him. With food out of the way, her next order of business was getting clean. She’d lightly bathed in a small stream on the first day, but she’d spent the other nights feeling dusty and dry. Her smooth skin feeling grittier than it normally did. It had probably been her highest priority upon arriving at the inn, but at the time she hadn’t been comfortable asking a bizarre creature she’d never seen before to organize her bathing.

“Do you think they’ve got a bath in here? Or would it just be a wet towel and bucket? Either way I’d be grateful for either right now” she mentioned, knowing full well that Gautrick would be upset with her if she left her room. She couldn’t have cared less what Gautrick thought, but getting Clovis in trouble really wasn’t something she was too keen on doing right now. And if she had permission… surely she could slip out to another part of the inn for a quick wash… assuming there was a bathing room to use.

(lol, one day of absence isn't enough to warrant an apology )

 

[AswanFox]

Clovis chuckled at Arianna's impression of Gautrick, grinning as they shared the meal before them.
"Heh, when you put it that way, I suppose it really isn't." He replied, smiling and raising a cup of the admittedly cheap wine which had come with the meal. "It'll be nice to think that somebody thinks of me as more than 'pup', at any rate."
At the mention of a bath, Clovis raised a hand to his chin, recalling something. It was not common for the inhabitants of the small, frontier villages to bathe at all, but in the mountains, innkeepers and enterprising individuals would often tap naturally occurring hot-springs to create bath-houses, mainly for travelers who were used to a higher standard of cleanliness.
The young bard smiled.
"Bath... now that you mention it, we may be in luck there."
Being what he was, Clovis was not a creature used to bathing in water. However, over the course of his travels, he had developed a taste for it, and made a point of doing so when he could.
"If memory serves, this inn has a hot-spring tapped in the back; I never got a chance to try it the last time we came through, but it should be open."
His smile turned conspiratorial.
"And I doubt Gautrick will be back for some time yet... would you like to give it a try?"