philip_charming | Adventure the Third

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Adventure the Third

[Coming back to the cottage from the battle with the statue, Philip took care of his horse Samson, moving on autopilot... then just slumped in a chair even as the horse flopped onto a carpet nearby.

Just give him a minute, he'll reach for the bandages soon... Right now, he'll just sit and stare at his battered and aching hands.]

I helped today. I know I did. Lives were saved by my actions; mine, and those of others. But what do you say to the people that died anyway?

What do you do, when your best just isn't good enough?

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[It was with a rueful smile that Philip took the spoon and bowl; she had an excellent point, all right. And despite the charming notion of her ministering to his needs that way, being fed like an invalid was just a little too much to bear.

He ate the spoonful, and-] Mm. This is very good. [Commence to eating greedily!]

[She smiles knowingly.] Hmm, why thank you. [She had made it with him in mind. Mixed it with vegetables and she had found some beans that would provide a lot of protein and energy.] I'm glad you liked it.

[He should've known it was her; Rapunzel isn't quite so big on pure vegetables. But you know what? Soup that she made, possibly made special for him? It would be delicious under ANY circumstances. He'll drain the bowl down to the dregs.]

That really did hit the spot. [He smiled thankfully at her; she seemed to know what he needed even when he didn't.]

[She kissed his temple.] Aunt Flora always said things look a lot less gloomy on a full stomach. [She moved to kiss his cheek.]

Truly, a wise-omened lady.

[You know, if you're going to marry a woman, picking a woman who's fond of kissing you is definitely the way to go!

Such were Philip's thoughts as he moved his head aside, catching her lips with his own for a soft, gentle shared kiss.]

Edited 2011-12-02 04:25 (UTC)

[Disney or not, at the end of the day, Aurora is still sixteen. She gives a soft "oh" in surprise when his lips catch hers.]

You must be feeling better now.

[Bwehehehe, his Cunning Plan is a complete surprise success!

And although his smile dims at her comment, it doesn't quite fade away.] While I'm a bit loath to admit it, I am.

They deserve remembrance, to be sure. But I doubt they'd want me to focus on death to the exclusion of life.

[And if they did, then why the heck was he bothering to mourn for them? Better to assume they were nice and solidly decent people.]

Phillip... [Her brows knitted together in worry as she took the bowl from him.] What... happened when the statue attacked? People were killed? [She supposed... she should have known people were injured or... were killed, but she had... hoped that there were very few deaths.]

...

[Oh RIGHT, she didn't see because she was safe in the cottage! And the Dreamberry communications probably didn't offer a very clear picture of the proceedings, so she'd still be in the dark about some matters...

Well, it was best that she knew.]

When the statue came, it had halted outside the town due to some form of 'barrier-spell', I'm told. Apparently everyone had put their faith in its holding still, as it had against many another threat...

But this time, their trust was misplaced.

The statue broke through, spinning its dark blades and smashing entire buildings in its wrath; that was what we saw when I bade you stay inside in safety. There were others already trying to fight it when I arrived, but with very limited success; it seemed mildly annoyed at best, and seemed impervious to all their spells and missiles. [He means that in the 'hitting things from a distance' way, having no idea that those shooty-splodey things were ACTUALLY called missiles.]

My sword seemed to have rather more effect, though not as much as I'd hoped; I managed to distract it and stall its advance, and with the help of some other stout-hearted swordsmen and an enchantress of ice, we managed to hold it off long enough for others to evacuate everyone in its path of advance.

Eventually, the first defenders having switched tactics, we managed to batter it back into the pit that spawned it- and was told that there it would stay, by the guardsmen that had finally shown themselves to help. The town needs quite a bit of rebuilding, even if the church was spared... And the blade that construct left in the mountain is something I'm none too sanguine about, despite being told that the guardsmen will 'handle' it.

[He took a deep breath, and let it out again; it wasn't very enjoyable to talk about, but the worst should be told as well.] The statue's casualties were surprisingly light, all stemming from its first rush on the town- and there were even some who escaped the houses it went crashing through. But even though only a few were lost to it...

[He closed his eyes, not wanting to remember what was left of the folk that had fallen.] They didn't deserve such a fate.

[Aurora was not wholly unused to death. Death happened in the forest all the time. Nature was a very cruel mistress but so very forgiving as well. She could still remembering encountering death when she had found a small bird frozen to death during the winter and she had brought it inside. The faeries had to then explain that the little bird was no longer alive.

And no matter what anyone thought, the life of a little bird was as important to Aurora as the life of a person. Every life was important. So that there were lives lost because of this attack... A frown appeared on her lips and she moved to hug Phillip close. Her poor love...]

You were very brave... and those who were lost today... will be deeply missed by their loved ones. [She kissed his brow.] But you cannot let that stop you from seeing the good that happened from the actions of you and the others.

[And he just held Aurora in return, glad she understood. He didn't have to argue about the value of life or the importance of remembering; he knew she already got it.]

I know, I know very well. There would have been more lives lost if I hadn't acted, perhaps many more; I don't discount the value of the lives I saved.

Just so long as I learned something from those I couldn't protect, that's all I seek.

[She rested in his arms for a moment, before she beginning the task of tending to his small wounds and cuts.]

You were very brave, you and Samson both. And that the number of lives was lessened is one of the most important things that happened today.

[Now, if this were a more pleasant discussion, subtle flexing would certainly be the order of the day. As it was, all Philip did was stretch out a little; the thinner he could make his muscles, the more tightly she could bind him. These things were important, you know.

And of course, his conversation was far too solemn to be noticing how this pose showed off how well-defined his chest and stomach was. He probably doesn't realize it himself.]

Yes, that's true; as much as we should remember the dead, that shouldn't stop us from going on with life.

[Brave words... but at the back of his mind, a thought kept niggling away. Could he ever move on if he lost Aurora?

If he failed so badly in protecting her... would he even deserve to go on living?]

[She continued to apply the healing balm and then wrap the bandages around him. His being shirtless was lost on the fact that he was injured.]

Are you tired?

[It really is more appropriate, even aesthetically pleasing cuts and general 'roughing-up' aren't really worth paying attention to right now.]

I feel... more drained than anything, but some rest does sound good. [He caught her hand in midwrap, his eyes gently pleading.] Stay with me?

[She blinked in surprise at his sudden grab before she smiled and leaned in to kiss him chastely.] Silly man [She whispered.] Of course I will, you needn't even ask.

[He smiled for her then, kissing her in return as he felt that last bit of tension fade away, leaving him so thankfully weary. He was ready for a rest now, so long as he knew she'd still be there when he woke up... And he hadn't even had to ask?

What a beautiful thing to say.]

[She kissed him as and gently guided him to his bedroom and down to his bed.] Now, time to sleep. [She climbed on the bed next to him.]

I'm here.

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Adventure the Third

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