Thread: Dominant Paladin, Innocent Bard (PsionicCuttlefish & SweetandSour)

The orcess delivered her final word and--Tyler blinked. She...she really did accept? Just like that? He looked at her with a more discerning and the slightest bit surprised expression. She didn't look like she had any hesitation, any reservations--there was no indication to Tyler that she was just doing this to save face. She honestly didn't have any doubts? With calm confidence and a flourish, she stowed her weapons on herself and looked straight at Tyler, giving him a few instructions immediately. Tyler blinked again, and could only nod in response as she turned on her heel and headed out of the pavilion. This was it. It was actually happening. Tyler and his father returned to their estate, and once out of public, Lord Orvioville made no attempt at hiding the relief he obviously felt at finally getting his son hitched with someone who would beat him into shape, make him a decent tough fighter. Tyler felt dread for the same reason, but hid it as to not incur any last-minute bouts of his father's loud disapproval. Travel light, she had said. Tyler got a knapsack and filled it with a few changes of clothes, rugged sets fit for travel, not his courtly robes, which he also changed out of and exchanged for a more practical outfit. Tyler had always wanted to be a travelling bard, so he had these clothes saved for just such an occasion. But it seemed he wasn't going to be travelling for the reasons he had always hoped for. Still...he couldn't help but also grab one of his particular prized treasures a miniature travelling harp. Lightweight and easy to carry, he could hold it in one forearm while strumming it with his other hand. He wasn't as good a harpist as he was a singer, but he was still quite skilled and practiced with it. At least, as much as he could be, under his father's eye. And then he was off, leaving the estate on his own, with naught but the traveler's outfit he wore, the knapsack with spare clothes, and his harp stowed away as well. His thoughts, of course, dwelled on the orcess. He could fool himself for a little while, but his eyes actually had been drawn to her. Most elf men liked their women dainty, but human barbarians from the wild plains nearby occasionally passed through. Any time there was a woman barbarian, Tyler's eyes had been drawn to the exotic, wild, untamed beauty of their strength. And the orcess--Gwen, she had introduced herself for the tournament, if Tyler wasn't mistaken--was even more powerfully built, even more exotic. Tyler also hadn't missed how she walked with a rather noticeable rear end and a sashaying gait, but beyond internal acknowledgement that the orcess combined strength and feminine traits in quite an attractive way, Tyler didn't have any further thought on that. It didn't even cross his mind that anything could ever actually happen between them, however much Tyler might have privately found her alluring. His thoughts were more focused on how she was going to treat him when it became clear that he probably wasn't going to measure up to whatever standards she had. She was rough and tough, exactly what his father had wanted...and exactly what Tyler himself was not. Soon, he found himself at the tavern where the orcess had retired to. He found her at a table, leaned back with one foot on it, and out of her armor. She was so confident, so strong...all things he could never be. But he didn't have any way out of this himself. Tyler took a steadying breath, and approached. Ah...hi there? He said with slight hesitation. Without her armor, it was also apparent that the orcess was also rather 'gifted' up front as well, and without even realizing it, his eyes lingered on her chest for a moment before averting downwards. You're...Gwen, right? That was the name you announced with at the tournament? So, I'm uh...I'm Tyler. I mean, you may already know that, but...this is introductions, right? Tyler remained standing near the table, not taking a seat for himself right away. It was painfully clear from the awkwardness and his body language that he had little to no self-confidence keeping his eyes downcast, posture held like he wanted to be small and unnoticed.