Tenderfoot Chronicles - LP - Tour of Castle Floret/Revelations

Montamillion · 2019-12-09 10:53:35 PM

Sola takes Monty on the castle tour, and things take a bit of a pleasant and unexpected turn for the both of them, for a change...until they don't. Warning. This is a long one! But I had so much fun with it....thanks Sola for being awesome!

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Characters:

Sola - Hare, Castle Floret Servant
Monty - Hare, Long Patrol Private

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There's an awkward silence from Sola as she leads the way out to the gardens and then stands just outside the door "This is, um, it. The flowers are somewhat bare in the winter" they've got some life in the place though and it's Southsward so it's barely even chilly. Everything neat, nothing gets to be wild in the place there's not even a fallen leaf in sight "They are...prettier in the spring"

Monty's attention is on his surroundings as they make their way through the castle in the direction of the gardens. Monty's mood had picked up rather dramatically, and instead of the silent, mopey Private who stared down at his plate, he more closely resembles the more carefree, relaxed Monty that had first left the mountain so many months ago. Awkwardness included, but...that's just Monty. It's actually rather endearing, mainly for those who have to watch him make a fool of himself. The small hare strolls along, eyes drifting over the various wall decorations they pass. Upon reaching the door, he comes to a stop. He gives Sola a smile and a nod. "Yeah, they...usually are, most of the time. S'okay, though, will still be interestin' to see th'difference between your garden n'ours."

Sola gestures ahead for him to look around as he likes "Please, explore as you wish...but don't fall in the pond" not that he would. She doesn't know why she felt the need to warn against that. For a second she tilts her hear thoughtfully when he mentions doing a comparison "While I suppose both the castle and your mountain are made with defence in mind but I would have assumed your gardens were kept more for food while some of the royals who have lived here have been of...extravagant tastes. Do you have flower beds, gazebos and things like this there?"

Monty gives Sola a playfully suspicious eye for a moment as she warns him about the pond, arms folding across his chest as his good ear waggles. "Pfft. I've only known you for a little while now an' yer warnin' me about fallin' into things. You sure you haven't been spyin' on me for, like, m'entire life?" The hare chuckles, giving the doe a grin, before he nods to her words. "Yeah, that's actually th'main difference I was thinkin'. The main purpose of our garden's t'pretty much feed th'mountain. I mean, I guess they made it look pretty nice in there, it's always nice n'quiet...an' they have flowers scattered about here n'there, for various reasons. But like, no fancy gazebos or anythin' of the sort..."

Sola's eye lightly up with amusement at his reaction to the warning "Perhaps I simply believed you to be the type to need the warning...Though if you are that type any warning is likely to be wasted and swiftly forgotten" she walks out further in to the gardens as she talks, tucking her paws in to her large sleeves to keep them hidden "They have never been attacked here while I have lived in the castle, perhaps they feel less need worry about such things...I always imagined Salamandastron would be a brutish place. Not that, erm, yourself or your friends appear to be brutes at all. Of course we have only just met, um...I'm sorry, you seem perfectly nice" she's not good at this conversation stuff.

Monty follows beside Sola as she begins to walk, his paws clasping behind his back as his eyes look over their surroundings. "Heh. Well, in my case, if I ended up in th'pond it'd be strictly by accident, miss. Believe me, I'd find some way t'completely make a bloody fool of m'self." With a chuckle, he gives his companion a smile, before his eyes shift back towards the garden. As she mentions Salamandastron and it's reputation, Monty tilts his head a little. "Is...that wot y'think when y'hear th'word Salamandastron?" he asks, with genuine curiosity, no anger or anything of the sort in his voice. "I mean, sure, we have th'occasional brute or two. We are a military institution, after all, need th' bruisers for battles n'such, but uh...I...think y'd be surprised if ya ever set foot in th'mountain." The hare smiles. "Most of us are just as normal as you lot 'ere. Keep in mind, I said -most- of us..." the hare chuckles, finding himself blushing a little as he is referred to as 'nice'.

"Oh, well, er...th...thank ya, miss. T's nice of ya t'say..."

Sola not for the first time wishes she could undo her words as she gets flustered and her ear and a half folds back "I...I mean, the stories, um, they're all of battles and b-bl-" she stops and closes her eye, she hadn't stuttered in years and here she was starting to "Bl-..." she tries a different word, trying to speak carefully "The rage of badgers...I..brutish was not the right word, um, I'm sorry...I am afraid the thought of war...Well I could not do it"

Monty continues to walk, occasionally glancing over to the side at Sola as she speaks. He lifts a paw, scratching at his half-ear, and he gives a shake of his head, smiling to try and reassure the flustered doe. "Oh, no need for apologies, miss, m'well aware of th'reputation th'place has, doesn't help when all th'stories y'hear are of us fendin' off some vermin attack from th'seas, or holdin' off vermin tryin' t'take over th'mountain." He chuckles. "Bloodwrath," he finishes her sentence. "Yeah, t'be honest, th'ol' badger that runs th'place now, he hasn't had t'deal with that for awhile. Thank goodness, it's not a pretty sight." The hare gives a light shrug, "And yeah, sometimes I wonder if I made th'right decision t'leave home an' join th'Patrol. An' when I see th'faces of those we helped in some way, it totally makes me realize why I did."

Sola was headed for the gazebo, she liked the quiet gardens usually but right now her brain is frazzled. She nods when he mentions bloodwrath. Yes, that was what she had tried to say. She relaxes a tiny bit as he doesn't seem to have taken offence to her rambling "It is wrong of me to focus on my fear of..." vermin, fighting, occasionally her own shadow "Well, everything. When you do so much good there" she's speaking very carefully and slowly there so she feels a bit more in control of her own words "What made you decide to join?"

Monty follows Sola as she makes her way in the direction of the gazebo. She knows more about the place than he does, and she's the one giving the tour, so...he figures it's best to simply be a good guest and follow. He gives a shake of his head to the doe's words. "Hmm. Not at all. You...went through a terrible situation, dealt with a lotta stuff that a goodbeast should never have t'deal with." The small hare shifts his eyes to Sola, "That's part o'the reason I joined, t'stop th'things that happened t'you from happenin' to others." He gives a light shrug, and a sigh. "And, also cuz my dad had always wanted t'join. Never got th'opportunity for one reason or another, so...when I was born, he wanted t'make darn sure that I grew up t'be a Patroller." He chuckles weakly, "And whatta y'know, here I am."

"No on did stop it" Sola replies with a note of fury that's unusual for her. She catches herself though and takes a deep breath "But had they known we were there they would have and I am certain you have saved many beasts from such fates" she sighs heavily "The past is the past" she finally looks back at him again "Your father got his wish. Do you...enjoy it?...Or perhaps would you now be an artist if not for that?"

Monty notes Sola's tone and the anger in her voice, and the hare reaches out a comforting paw to rest on her shoulder. "It is indeed a shame that no one came t'your aid, miss. If...we were aware of what was happenin', we'd be th'first ones t'go out an' try and do what we could t'help, f'sure." Monty gives her a smile. "My hope is that, from our actions, we did indeed help those who happened t'find themselves in a spot o'trouble. But yes, things that happened in th'past can't really be changed now. Believe me, that's somethin' I've found disappointin' m'self." He shrugs. To the question about whether or not he enjoyed it, Monty nods simply. "Aye, yeah, joinin' th'patrol's th' best decision I ever made. Had a few rough spots here n'there..." He wiggles his half-ear with a grin. "But it's not somethin' I wasn't expectin', y'know." The question about whether or not he'd be an artist gets an amused look. "Eh, more'n likely not. Started drawin' at th'mountain while out on leave from bein' injured. If I wouldn't've

joined th'Patrol, I'd be back home, farmin' with m'family."

Sola startles slightly at the touch, tensing up but she quickly moves to place a paw on his arm just to reassure that it's fine "I know, really. I'm certain you would have been the first to charge in bravely and rescue everyone" she makes a little amused noise "Starting with all the pretty damsels of course" the ear wiggle makes her laugh quietly "I don't believe anyone plans to lose half an ear" she moves her own tattered ear a tiny bit. She slowly nods afterwards "Well I am glad you are happy. It, um, must not be so bad there. A more adventurous life than farming certainly but with enough peace to draw...Your friend said you had brought drawings with you?"

Monty jumps a little as well in return as the paw is placed on his arm, his eyes shifting down towards it as a blush creeps up into his cheeks. "Oh, uh. Yeah. Yeah, absolutely! I, um, it's...somethin'...I totally woulda done. It's...I, uh, I...mean...I...woulda rescued anyone who needed it, not just, um...not just damsels, y'know..." he chuckles, the hare shifting from footpaw to footpaw. "And I, uh, coulda lost th'whole ear, so yeah, I guess you could try n'look at it positively I s'pose." He shakes his head, "It's really not bad at all. We have t'best food you could ask for aside from Redwall itself...an'...most of th'time, everyone is pretty decent. Though y'have th'drama stuff that always tends t'creep up anytime y'put a bunch o'fightin hares all in the same place t'gether t'live." As his drawings are mentioned again, Monty blinks, before he nods with a sheepish grin. "Oh, uh...yeah. I did. Didn't think anyone'd really be that interested t'see em though..."

Sola hesitates and stares at his arm with her paw on it for a moment before she awkwardly starts to remove it "Um" she has no words. Moving on! She slowly nods when he says he could of lost the entire ear "We lived. Some days that's all you can hope for" another awkward pause and she presses on "I never did visit that Redwall place though I had heard of it. The food here tends to be quite fancy but there are some places in the village where you can sit alone and just enjoy something simpler" she chuckles lightly at mention of drama "That is not limited to fighting hares. The castle staff are always in a gossip about who is dating who" she shakes her head but looks amused before she looks back at him and there's a smile to her eye for his grin "I would be most interested. Do you have many from Salamandastron or your travels?"

Monty also doesn't mention her paw on his arm, finding it's likely best simply to not acknowledge that it had happened...it'd likely only cause the hare to fall back into his stuttering and flustered self. And he's bad enough as it is! Nodding his head, he gives the doe a smile. "Aye, we did. And yeah, it is. Sometime stuff happens that y'can't really control, y'know? So no use worryin' about it." He laughs as the castle drama is mentioned, "Yeah, I...never really involved m'self in that sorta nonsense, y'know. Total waste o'time t'be flappin' yer lips about who likes who n'who said wot about whoever." As Sola mentions wanting to see his drawings, he blushes in spite of himself. "Wait, really? You would?" he blinks. "Oh, uh. Okay. I mean, they're mostly from back home at th'mountain, though I did break out th'pad o'paper on our travels when things got a little quiet."

Sola tilts her head and sounds amused at the 'flapping yer lips' bit "It has a certain entertainment. From an outside perspective of course. I'm surprised you aren't the talk of the mountain with a line of does desiring attention" she sounds quite genuine in her belief that he should be. She gestures to a seat in the gazebo at his surprise in her interest at drawing "Of course" she says as she sits "I won't get to see many places. You can at least show me your home"

Monty laughs and waves a paw nonchalantly, "Yeah, I try t'leave the gossipin' t'th' old haremaids in th'village. I...um..." When Sola suggests that he is in fact one that might appear appealing to does in the mountain, his expression shifts for a moment, as he does his best to keep the smile upon his muzzle. His ear droops, "Well. I mean, er...no, not in particular. I mean, if I was, believe me I'd be th'first t'tell ya, heh..." He gives his shoulders a shrug, which droop just a little. "But, eh, I suppose not a lot o'does take an interest inna one-eared scarred-up hare who got bonked in the noggin one too many times an' is halfway t'crazyville..." Monty gives a weak smile. "Is a long story. But, er...yeah. Yeah, I'd love t'show ya my drawings, Sola." He sets his satchel down on the ground, rooting around before he withdraws a small sketchpad.

Sola looks confused for a second that he wouldn't be the catch of the town until he says why and only recognition shows. She goes to place that paw back on his arm again "I know that one well. No bucks have any interest in a one-eared scarred-up doe who has spent the better part of her life getting /out/ of crazyville...and never quite escaped the outskirts" a small pause and she hehs and looks down "Of course if they had they would have discovered I was painfully boring...or been pushed away because they are clearly insane themselves" a light sigh but her eye focuses on him as she pauses "It takes someone different to see past the scars we can't stop focusing on" a little glance down and she then looks to the satchel as he gets his sketchpad out "I hope you are as good as your friend suggested"

Monty's eyes shift down and land upon where Sola's paw comes to rest again. He rubs his arm with a paw, "Huh. Sounds like me'n'you have a little more in common than we though, eh?" he chuckles. "All I gotta say is, there's a lot more t'someone than what y'can see on th'outside. Any buck who can't see that is pretty foolish, lemme tell ya. I...don't know ya too well an' I'm not gonna pretend I do, but, so far t'me y'seem like a perfectly lovely individual, not borin' in th'least. Th'king seems happy t'have ya around..." Monty glances back up and gives the doe a smile. "I supposed y'could say I've kinda been runnin' around on th'outskirts tryin' t'find my way back in." His eyes shift back down to his sketchbook, and he opens it and begins to skim over the pages. Finally, he comes to the sketches and drawings he'd done of the inside of Salamandastron...the kitchen, the mess hall, the rec room. "This is Salamandastron," he explains, as he shoes the doe the drawings.

"Apparently so" Sola replies to their similarities with a small laugh before she shakes her head "I don't blame them for not trying though, there are pretty does who must not hide their faces for them to choose from...You however are a warrior. Your scars are your experience. They make you look rugged" she sounds like she approves though the mention of trying to return to crazyville makes her give a little note of amusement "I would not recommend it" her attention finally goes to the drawings and she looks at them with interest, showing surprise at the rec room one "You have a bar there! And that kitchen may be bigger than ours"

Monty continues to slowly flip through the pictures...there are multiple ones of the infirmary and recovery room...Monty had spent quite a bit of time in both places, and so he had plenty of sketches of them. There are a handful of sketches of various other Parol hares...Jinora, Riley, Adrian, various random others. "Well then, they are missin' out is wot I say," he replies, with a shrug. "Anyone who actually takes some time t'sit down an' talk t'you would know that. But, er...yeah, so...here's...more of th'mountain...here's th'garden..." He looks down at the pages as he shows them, before looking back up at Sola to see her reaction to his work. At the mention of him being rugged, he blinks, a little more of that blush coloring his cheeks at the compliment. "Aw, phooey, I'm not rugged at all. M'prolly th'least rugged you'd ever see..." he chuckles, before his eyes return back down to his sketches.

Sola is completely enamoured with the drawings and she actually comes down to sit on the ground so she can take them as he shows them off and then put them in a very neat pile. She does of course look at the hares in them but even if Greg was there she'd never recognise him with how much he's changed "These are amazing...and there's so many hares" she immediately looks at the garden one when he offers it, her eye going a little wider "You were selling your gardens short. I see benches, flowers, they look so peaceful" she doesn't look away from the drawings as she leads over and goes to give him a little nudge with her elbow "If I say you're rugged, you're rugged. You can't argue with does about these things" she says with a little laugh.

Monty did have a drawing or two of Greg in the sketchbook, but like she figured, she more than likely wouldn't recognize him...especially from a simple drawing. Monty seems quite pleased that his new friend seems to be enjoying the drawings. He'd never really fancied himself to be particularly good, and so the praise does make him feel pretty good about all the time he'd spent on the activity. There is a wide smile upon his muzzle, though his cheeks are a little on the pink side, and he averts his gaze to fiddle with the ends of his uniform. "...well, uh, I mean, I guess if rugged is a -good- thing, then...that's fine, I s'pose..." he chuckles. "But yeah, the garden's nice! It's where I'd usually go to try n'unwind, it kinda puts me in a better headspace, y'know?"

Sola doesn't quite realise quite what she's doing. She used to be confident, years ago before everything happened "Of course rugged is a good thing" She sounds amused her eye remains on the drawings, looking through them with interest "You are fortunate your gardens don't frequently get taken over by some dinner function or something as they do here" she finally looks up at him again and sees the awkwardness again and automatically assumes that's probably due to her "But, um, not that there is anything wrong with dinner functions...though they aren't intended for staff to enjoy. I suppose your visit here is somewhat of a function as visiting envoys from a different kingdom...or...lord...dom" she looks puzzled "What do they call it when it's not ruled by a king? There must be some name for it...Oh, but I was suppose to be giving you a tour and" she looks at the gardens a little flustered "well I haven't told you anything"

Monty shifts his gaze back up towards Sola, the hare smiling in spite of himself as he watches her begin to stumble over her words just as badly as he tends to most of the time. "Uh...yeah, I s'pose it is. Kinda a goodwill thing, sorta, between th'two areas. I mean, o'course, it totally ended up turnin' into a rescue mission, but hey...just comes with th'territory I guess of bein' in th'Patrol." He gives a light shrug. He grins as the tour is brought up, the two of them obviously having gotten sidetracked by Monty's drawings. "Oh, uh, right, right, the tour. That...was a thing...that, um...was supposed to be happening. So like...feel free to, um...to...start the tour!" The hare gives his companion a grin, a paw rubbing at his half-ear in the process.

Sola flusters easily and realising she wasn't following the king's suggestion is more than enough to set her off worrying. She quickly looks around "Um, well, um. These are the gardens. Most of this was planted by King, um..." King Um the mighty! No, probably not. She struggles for a moment as she doesn't usually do the tour and while she's heard the history told to many visitors right now it's fleeing her memory "King...Alvin...the third...I think" she makes a frustrated noise and flattens her ears with her paws "They don't normally have me talk to guests and clearly with good reason" she suddenly looks up and points to a tree as she remembers something "They made that tree so that it grows apples and pears...The pears were a gift from the southern tribes when they agreed to a truce"

Monty listens intently, unable to really hide the grin upon his muzzle as Sola seems to get so flustered over things. "Hey, it's...it's really no big deal if you can't remember, like, everythin'. I mean, just th'important stuff is fine. There's not gonna be like, a tour rating at the end or anythin'..." he chuckles. "Besides, yer doin' just fine." He glances over at the tree as it is mentioned, nodding his head slowly. "Pears? Gotcha. So...that's pretty much a special tree, then?"

"If I could remember anything it would be an improvement. I could imagine the rating, one out of ten, just about remembered what a tree was" Sola says with some frustration before she tries to compose herself with a sigh "Yes, the tree was supposed to signify a new start and partnership between the kingdom and the chieftains" she says carefully as she's trying to recall the details before she shakes her head "It didn't really work though and the tree lasted longer than the peace...They, um, fight among themselves a lot"

Monty waves a paw, "Aw, nonsense..." he chuckles. "You will get nothing but an absolutely glowin' review, I promise." He hmms, nodding his head in understanding. "Hmm. Yeah, that tends to happen a lot, really, everywhere. Everyone tends t'end up havin' more differences than they originally thought, and then things kinda start to split apart eventually. Still, as long as things are still generally peaceful, y'know?" he smiles, as they begin to walk further into the garden. The hare takes a look around as the walk, taking in the various surroundings.

Sola gets up and starts to walk as well, following along behind him "Then you are far too kind. Why his majesty would give me the job is a mystery" she really doesn't know. She nods along to his words and one moment she's thinking of the tribes and the worry of potential war but the next she slowly looks at him "Yes, everything similar splits eventually..." she frowns slightly, a little sad "You leave tomorrow" that's come out of nowhere.

Monty walks for a little while longer, simply enjoying the time spent in a generally peaceful environment, especially after the things that they'd already dealt with on the trip so far. As Sola looks at him and speaks, Monty's head tilts a little, his gaze shifting over to her and watching her for a few moments. "Yeah. S'a fact o'life, I suppose, an' not a very fun one, m'afraid. T's why ya gotta make th'best of the time y'have, y'know?" he shrugs, before he nods to her statement, with a sigh, himself. "...yeah, we do. Gotta head back out n'continue th'mission, y'know. Duty calls, n'all that..." he gives her a sheepish smile, the hare's ear giving a flick.

Sola finally seems to realise she's been acting weird. Or at least weird for her. For a second she looks confused until realisation hits her and she straightens up and looks scared. She takes a step back as she starts to babble "I-I'm sorry, this is inappropriate. You...you're a guest and you're leaving and so young and and...I called you rugged" it's like she's only just remembering what she's been saying and is mortified with herself "and I was flirting, I...I'm sorry, I didn't, I..." she backs up a few more steps "I don't...I never..." panic!

Monty doesn't really seem to be off-put or angered at all by the stammering doe and her confessions, the hare merely watching her quietly as she continues to ramble on. As she finishes, he reaches out a comforting paw to rest on her arm, giving her shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "...hey, look, it's...it's fine. I mean, really, it is. Nothin' you said or did was inappropriate, Sola...if it was, I woulda totally letcha know at the time. It's just...I mean, it's kinda like you said. We're leavin', and I, um. I didn't really wanna say anythin that might give ya th'wrong idea..." His gaze travels down for a moment as he stares at his footpaws, his cheeks turning a deep red. "It's fine, I mean, I'm not used t'does actually showin' any interest, so, y'know...it's actually kinda a nice change." He gives Sola a smile as he lifts his eyes again.

Sola doesn't calm so easily, she did say she was living on the edge of crazyville "It's not fine! I'm just deceiving and lying and I can't wear this, I can't pretend to be this, I can't be normal, I can't" somewhere in her distressed ramblings she started pulling off the cloth around her head and her glasses to throw them at a bush. She has several smaller scars but the main ones are definitely the slice taken out of her nose and the cut down her cheek which slices through her lips so a little bit of the teeth behind can be seen. The worst is a deep cut starting on her forehead and curving deliberately under her eye close enough to blind it. It is however also clear that she's older than him. Most of the grey hairs in her long brown headfur might have been stress related, without the scars she would have aged gracefully. It only takes her looking at him for her to realise what she's doing and it's like a switch is flipped and she freezes. She closes her eyes after a moment before just turning away, going to make

She closes her eyes after a moment before just turning away, going to make it so he doesn't have to look at it as the back of her head is fine "I...I don't...I...I have no excuse"

Monty is momentarily taken aback by the doe's sudden outburst. He takes a step back, watching with a sympathetic expression as Sola finally seems to snap and discards the things that had been hiding her injuries. As they are revealed, Monty doesn't seem to be horrified or sickened by the doe's injuries...he frowns, though more out of anger at whoever could do such things to someone else than at any particular feelings towards Sola. "Sola, none of this was your fault. You have nothin' to apologize for, and I understand why you felt the need to cover yourself up the way you did." He approaches the doe, also noting that she seems to be a few seasons older. Still, it doesn't change the fact of anything that had happened so far during the Patrol's time there, and his time with Sola. He reaches his paws over to rest them on the backs of her shoulders in a comforting gesture. "You don't need one, Sola. Nothing you've shown me just now changes who you are. It may have changed your physical appearance, but you are, n'

'always will be, the same doe you've always been."

Sola is shaking slightly. She hadn't snapped and broken like that in a long time but then all she ever did was keep herself busy with work. She tenses when he touches her. She doesn't look back at him but her ear turns back as she's clearly listening. The last bit strikes a cord hard and her paws come up to cup her muzzle and muffle a quiet sob. She can't do anything but stand there and cry for a moment but finally she manages to get out some words "That's all I ever wanted to be"

Monty has more often than not been on the other side of things, and if there was anyone at all who could relate to the doe, it's him. His paws give Sola's shoulders a gentle, reassuring squeeze, before the buck steps forward and embraces her. His chin comes to rest on her shoulder, his arms wrapping around her middle, and he stands this way for awhile, not really saying much at all and just letting Sola get out whatever it was she needed to get out. Hopefully his presence there is enough to help, at least a little. Eventually, he speaks, his voice quiet and reassuring...an unusual thing for the usually nervous and boisterous buck. "You don't need to hide yourself, anymore. Show em who you really are, and if they can't deal with it, it's on them, and not you."

Sola for once doesn't tense at the touch when he gets closer and she actually leans against him, her head going to rest against his while she cries and tries to be very quiet about it. It takes her a few minutes to let the tears calm her down before finally she's silent again with just the occasional sniff. Her ear moves and lightly bumps into his and then moves back again when he talks. A little sniff and eventually she refinds her quiet voice "I used to try...The stares...and the mirrors...I just wanted to forget it ever happened"

Monty allows a warm smile to slide onto his muzzle as Sola doesn't slip away and actually does the opposite, leaning into his embrace, and the buck very gently gives her head a light bump with his own as she rests it against his. His arms give another reassuring squeeze, Monty's ear giving a twitch and bumping back against the doe's. "But, it -did- happen, and it is a part of who you are, now. As painful as it might be, there's really nothing you can do to change that. It's made ya stronger, though, when it coulda had the opposite effect and made ya completely broken. That's a credit t'how strong y'really are, Sola. And now, y'don't need t'hide yourself, you can show the entire kingdom what y'dealt with, and they c'n truly see how unbreakable y'are."

Sola's eye starts to look teary again (The blind eye remains dry, too damaged for tears) as he says it did happen. She looks at the sky and takes a little shaky breath to calm herself. She suddenly laughs and this time her paws come up to cup her muzzle to keep from some insane hysterical laughter bubbling out. It doesn't take her so long to contain that but she is still smiling when she speaks "I'm sorry. I don't think now's the time to say I'm not broken. I did throw my glasses in to a bush" she snerks as she finds that funny but she brings a paw to her mouth to stop that getting any further than a smirk.

Monty allows a small grin to crack his muzzle, the buck laughing as well at the sudden moment of levity. "Aye, that y'did, miss." His paws slip from around her middle, the buck making his way over to retrieve Sola's glasses. He searches for a moment, before eventually finding them, and he brings them back over to the doe, holding them out to her with a smile. "Welp, here ya go. Didn't toss em -too- far, really. Y'got a good arm though," he jokes.

Sola is all over the place. One moment she's losing it and crying, the next she's losing it and laughing instead. She has too much she's never dealt with and can't help but be a bit insane. She finally turns when he moves away so she can see where he's going but just smiles as he gets her glasses "It's all those mines they had us digging in" she jokes back before she suddenly pauses, distracted "Ooh, I joked about the mines...I mentioned the mines. Ohh, that's different. I feel fine. This is weird" it feels like her mind has skipped on to a different track and it's fascinating and distracting to her. She takes the glasses but doesn't put them on. The world's a bit blurry without them but she just doesn't feel like hiding behind them.

Monty eyes Sola as she shuffles through all her emotions, the buck giving a chuckle and a shake of his head. "Good, I'm...glad you're startin' to feel better. And there aren't any more mines for you to have to worry about, so..." he shrugs. "Yer perfectly safe here, and don't have to worry about any of that stuff ever again." As he reaches out to hand her the glasses, his paw brushes over hers, and it causes him to smile, hesitating a little before handing them over finally. "So, um. Is...that the tour, then?" he asks, jokingly, his ear perking, the other one just sorta hanging there.

Sola pauses, testing out her new found freedom but after a few seconds where nothing comes out she concludes "Can't joke about the torture" she looks a little surprised "Can mention it..." a firm frown "Still don't want to talk about it" she suddenly smiles at him "Baby steps" she's all excited which is really strange and new to her. She goes to take his paw after she's got the glasses "Oh sure, the entire castle is just this one bit of the gardens" sarcasm! "Come on. You wanted to see paintings"

Monty allows Sola to take his paw and lead him off towards where the paintings are, the hare laughing as well. "Alright, alright, I'm going, I'm going! You're gonna squeeze m'paw clean off if you're not careful..." He then follows after the doe, feeling a smile growing upon his muzzle for some reason...

Sola hurries a little more when he says that as she shoots a grin at him, which looks slightly odd with the split lips "I said scars were rugged, I'm just trying to improve you further" it's not far inside before she stops by a wall and just opens it up to reveal a little passageway behind the walls. She doesn't really think anything of it, going to pull him after her and start to lead the way through a little maze behind the grand rooms everyone else gets to see.

Monty cannot help but grin at Sola's excitement as she drags him along the path, and his interest is perked as they stop near the wall. "Um, there's...no way to go. We...ohhhhh..." he blinks in surprise as the secret passageway is revealed, and the hare grins, giving the doe a nudge. "Oh, that is very interesting, a hidden passage, eh? Love it..." he chuckles, before he eeeps and has no choice but to follow, as his paw is being tugged.

Sola blinks back at his interest before the sudden realisation that others would like the passages. She laughs as she drags him on "It's the servants ways!" which might explain why it's so clean "Some nobles, probably some royals too, feel that servants shouldn't ever be seen unless they're asked for. They still want us to clean the place of course! There's passages all over the place for us...Plus a few hidden ones and safe rooms for the royal family. Your mountain doesn't have them?...I mean, I suppose a badger may not need a room to hide in but surely...Well, no..does your lord even have servants?" she questions as she leads on through the maze. There's plenty of doors all over and she has to lead up a narrow spiral staircase until she finally comes to the door she wants. A quick peek through a hole in the wall to check the coast is clear and she opens it on to the long gallery, the door opening behind a painting. The room itself is filled with small stainglass windows on one side and the other is all paintin

The room itself is filled with small stainglass windows on one side and the other is all paintings. Mostly monarchs and nobles but a few groups or landscapes. Many of them are very old having been painted in the rein of previous kings.
Monty is grinning from ear to ear as he is dragged around by his new friend, and he tries his best to take everything in before he is dragged off to somewhere else. It seems as if Sola never really got the opportunity to give an actual tour of the place to someone who was actually interested, and not just a formality thing. Her excitement makes him chuckle in amusement. "Well, t'be honest, never really asked if there are hidden passages n'rooms in th'mountain. But I'm more'n willin' to bet there are, I just never really got th'opportunity to explore and find out for m'self." He gives a shrug. "And nope, we don't have servants in th'mountain. We're not really a castle, we're more of a military institution, an' so...we basically do all the chores n'other things a servant would likely do." As they come to the door and move out into the gallery, the hare gasps as his eyes fall upon those paintings. Wide-eyed, he moves in a slow circle as he takes everything in. "....wow...." he breathes. "These are amazing." He g

grins down at Sola, before his gaze returns to the paintings.

Sola doesn't give tours at all in general. She's the silent servant who appears when needs they vanishes again when no one's looking. Carrying a conversation typically wasn't her strong point "You should find some secret places in your mountain, they make excellent escape routes from uncomfortable situations" she stops to let him take in the room of artwork, looking exceedingly happy that he seems to like it so much "This is just the important kings and the best bits of the collection. Even here there's not enough wall space for everything" she grins back when he looks at her and then looks at the paintings too "The best artists in the land are supposed to have painted all of these"

Monty eyes Sola for a moment with a grin. "So you are automatically assuming that I put myself in uncomfortable situations that I would then need to escape from...." he laughs, reaching over to give the doe a playful nudge. "...maybe I do, maybe I don't. But yes. It would be useful." He begins to slowly meander around the room, his gaze fixed upwards at all those paintings. He had developed a fascination with such things while injured and off duty, and to actually see said things in person was definitely a treat for him...one need only look at his overjoyed expression to tell. "...yeah, I can totally tell. I absolutely love these, Sola. Thank you for showing me this..."

Sola stifles a giggle and turns it in to a smirk at the first but "Now that's not what I meant...but yes. If you're going to be entirely like me in apparently every way then the entire world will be your awkward encounter" there's a lot of posh squirrel paintings due to the royal family but a few groups too, a painting of the castle from across the forest, various battles with exaggerated heroes and monstrous vermin. Sola can't help but love his enthusiasm and starts to grin again "Perhaps they'll inspire your work. I'm unsure how much harder it is to paint than it is to draw" she looks back at the paintings and points to one of otters dancing like crazy beasts around a fire "That one is probably my favourite...Though King Felip over there is a close second. His frame is the easiest to dust"

Monty gives Sola a smile and a nod, "Oh, believe me. I know alllll about awkward encounters. As a matter of fact, 'awkward' may just be my middle name." He laughs. "Actually it's Alexander Reginald William Baxter, but hey, what's one more added on, y'know?" The buck continues onwards, looking at each and every painting that is pointed out to him. As the reach the one with the dancing otters, Monty grins. "That one is very...enthusiastic..." he laughs. "Captures the spirit of otters perfectly, though. I love it." He glances over towards the other one she mentions, and he nods. "Very regal..." He slowly wanders in that direction. "Hmm, maybe they will give me a bit of inspiration. That's somethin' I've been...sorely lackin', lately, m'afraid." He sighs, before turning and moving back over towards Sola.

Sola laughs quietly at the list of names "It always seemed to me like hares could not decide upon a name so they used them all...I don't actually have one. A middle name that is" another little laugh "Greg made up his himself. I never felt the need..." she gestures at the otter painting "That was my childhood. No mountains of well regimented hares simply chaotic otters" it doesn't sound like she considers that a bad thing "Enthusiastic is a poor description of the joyous insanity and infectious...life" she smiles so much for a moment it turns in to a flash of regret before she turns towards him and swiftly moves on from that thought "I imagine that a life marching the road in search of hares would not leave much time for artwork...or is it something else which keeps you from drawing?"

Monty gives a sigh, his gaze shifting up to the painting that is currently right in front of him. He turns to face it, and stares up quietly at it for awhile, turning his thoughts over in his mind as he tries to best thing of a way to answer the question. "...well, the traveling is certainly part of it," he sighs. "But there are a multitude o'things that kinda keeps me from returnin' to it, I suppose." He shrugs. "Mebbe a bit of a lack o'confidence n m'self, I dunno. Never really been too high on m'self an' my abilities, t'be honest with ya. I mean, I've tried doin' a couple here and there while out there, just t'see if I still have th'touch. They didn't turn out th'greatest, really..."

Sola is silent and patient. She can tell he's thinking and doesn't interrupt that. This time it's her turn to step forward as he talks. She goes to place her paw on his shoulder. There's a long pause as she's trying to find the right words "Everything is built on the back of practice...Which isn't to say you're not good, I couldn't do what you do. I thought your drawings were amazing...I just mean...It's...it's like your fighting. You're not born fighting it must be learnt" she looks at the paintings "These are your...sword masters" she's not sure if that's a real thing "Experts in their field but all we get to see is the finished picture. You don't see the twelve squirrels with a funny nose they drew first or the hours they spent painting it...You could do paintings like these. I do really think you could...I mean, if you wanted to"

Monty startles just a little as he feels the paw descending onto his shoulder, and he lifts his gaze and settles it on Sola. Despite the initial surprise, he doesn't pull away. "Oh. Well, um. You...you really think so? I mean, I...honestly have no idea if or when I'd ever have the time to do something like this..." He gestures towards the painting, before he shifts his gaze back towards it and stares for a few minutes longer. "...I mean...unless I..." he hesitates, his expression one of conflict as he looks from the painting, to Sola, then back. "...unless I retired, and...stayed here..." he replies, his words carrying a questioning air, as if he is truly wondering about the possibility of leaving the Patrol and remaining here.

Sola smiles at first "Of course" she really does believe he could paint. She tilts her head as he hesitates before her face wipes in to a look of surprise as he even considers staying "You...I..." she's flustered again and mentally stumbles around for words "I..." hesitantly she withdraws her paw from his shoulder "I can't make you do that" she nervously says as if it was entirely her fault.

Monty turns to face Sola as she withdraws her paw. He steps forward, reaching down to try and take the paw into both of his. "...I...I mean, you wouldn't be making me do anything, Sola. I've...thought about something like this for a long time, ever since the last time I got injured, and...I mean, look at me fer Dark Forest's sake. I am a mess. From th'moment I joined th'Patrol, even th'first Patrol I went on, I ended up gettin' myself hurt. For awhile, I...I lost m'brain, was completely n'utterly mad. 'Mad Monty', they called me." He frowns, his gaze dropping. "Got decommissioned because of it, an' only got reactivated after a season or two cuz more bodies were needed." A heavy sigh makes his shoulders droop. "...I...I dunno how much longer I c'n do this, Sola. Earlier in our mission, I was forced t'kill a hare we'd recruited, cuz he'd gone mad. I had t'take the life of a hare with me own paws. I just...I can't..." Tears well up in his eyes, as he bites his lip. "I don't think I c'n do this anymore..."

Sola doesn't resist her paw being taken or move away and she just looks so sad as he explains. Her ears fold back and flatten at the Mad Monty bit and she steps closer. By the time he's describing having to kill the other hare she's already going to hug him. She's horrified and saddened for him. She went though a lot but never had to kill anyone "I'm sorry" she mutters as she moves to hug him tight and rest her head on his, burying her nose in to his fur as she speaks "I can't imagine how hard...I just can't. I'm sorry you...you shouldn't have had to do that. It's not your fault"

Monty accepts the hug, that being more than likely what he really needed at that point. He wraps his arms around the doe, hugging her tight as he buries his face between her ears. He merely stands that way for awhile, glad to be able to get all of that out. It felt odd telling all those things to someone who was practically a stranger, yet for some reason, Monty felt as if he'd known Sola for his entire life. Their conversation, the joking around, even the hug...it all seemed to feel natural. After a short while, he pulls back, his arms still around her as he peers down at her. "...that is...the one thing I never thought I'd be able to do.

When it comes to killing vermin, it's easy. They all deserve it for what they do to others. But when it's someone who had no hand in the way he ended up, and having to take his life to end his suffering...I...it was just...it was almost impossible. But I did it. We had to move on, so I did it."

Sola gives him whatever time he needs, just holding on to him. She didn't eve like to really be touched usually but this, with him, was comfortable and she couldn't explain that. She looks up at his eyes when he moves. Still looking so sad she moves a paw out of the hug so she can stroke his cheek with it "To end suffering, suffering that wasn't going to end or madness that would hurt others...ending that is no bad thing...You shouldn't have had to b-but...it was the right thing to do...Not the easy thing. Never the easy thing...but the right thing...If he understood...If it were me, if I understood what was happening to me...I-I remember madness. I couldn't live lost in that fog if there was no way out"

Monty nods his head slowly, the hare peering down at Sola as she speaks. As her paw touches his cheek, he finds himself leaning into her touch, his eyes closing. "Yes. Believe me, I can totally understand, m'self. I've been there, in that particular headspace, an' it is not fun. If I was ever stuck that way for longer n'I was, I...I dunno if I'd be able t'deal with it. I was lucky I came outta my situation the way I did. It was touch n go there for a long time. Didn't know which way was up r down. Was seein' things, hearin' birds talkin' to me. It...it was chillin'." His eyes meet Sola's and lock there, as they open once again.

Sola can't help a tiny smile when he leans into her paw but with the topic it doesn't last long "Everything was vermin to me. Every tree hid them, every shadow was them. They followed and watched, hunting constantly. Any rest was a time to be caught...losing all sense of day and time...always running" her voice slows down as she stares back at him, distracted even despite the conversation. She finds herself leaning in closer, nervously stopping but then going to actually kiss him.

Monty finds himself slowly nodding, as his gaze remains steadfastly locked with the doe's. Her scars and deformities didn't seem to mean a thing to the hare...he'd seen the heart she possessed, that kindness she'd show him despite still hurting from all she'd been through, and to him that was absolutely perfect. "...yes, I...I understand. I..." He is very briefly surprised by the kiss, eyes going wide for a moment...but then after that moment passes, he sinks back down and leans into the kiss. He holds it for an extra moment or two, his arms still wrapped around her, and everything he had just spoken of, of all the things he'd been through, all seem to melt away as he stands there embracing Sola.

Sola keeps the kiss for several seconds, long enough that if anyone else saw the talk would be up and down the castle before morning. She doesn't move away when it finally stops and for a second she just stares back at him again before she suddenly grins and there's a little red flush of embarrassment in her ears. She goes to rest her head on his chest to hide there "Oh but this is insanity in itself" she jokes with a little laughter in her voice "I met you only today...You can't change your life over that"

Monty figured if the two were spotted, the rumors would likely begin to spread amongst the castle like wildfire. He really doesn't seem to care, however, keeping Sola held in his arms as he simply looks her in the eye, his own ear(s) flushing red. "...would it surprise ya t'know, that's the first time I've ever kissed anyone, besides my mum?" he teases, lightly. "Completely worth the wait. Heh." The buck grins down at her as she rests her head on his chest. "Hmm. Well, there are far worse ways to describe bouts of insanity, I'd say this is one of the better ones, yeah?" Monty laughs. Her words seem to sober him a little more, as he sighs. "...aye, I understand. But what ya have t'understand is, this isn't somethin' I completely decided right now. You are definitely th'reason I'd want to stay, now, though. And you're givin me more than enough reason to. I just....I...dunno what Adj would have to say about it. He's my best friend."

Sola makes a little amused noise "Less than it would probably surprise you to know that was the first time /I've/ kissed anyone" she was young when she ended up in slavery. The whole idea of dating has been a struggle since. Another little laugh "Worth the wait...I could live with a madness like this" or she'd be very tempted to but it does seem entirely insane. Falling for a beast in a day is for stories. A deep breath and she looks back up at him, he smile turning a little sad "Your friends..." another deep breath to try and calm her feelings down enough to try and be what she considers sensible "They'll need you. At the very least you should talk to them...And perhaps if after talking to them you happen to turn around and come back or I come up with some excuse to go to Salamandastron...and the nerve to travel there...then..." her smile brightens a little again.

Monty gives a heavy sigh, knowing that the whole reason they'd even made this trip was to find recruits for the Patrol and not return home with one less hare than they started with. Still, he'd also been told that if he'd somehow found some sort of happiness while out on the mission, that he should try and pursue it. And so Monty is torn. "...I...I will talk to them, let them know what I told you. Perhaps they might understand..." He bites his lip for a moment. Something she says makes him look right back up at her again. "Come with us!" he replies, his voice tinged with excitement. "I mean, the reason I'm even here is to bring hares back with me to the mountain, yeah? So...you're a hare, yeah?" He grins. "And, an added bonus, you get to see your brother again!" He slips free from the embrace, both his paws slipping into the doe's as he gives them a squeeze.

Sola immediately looks worried at the suggestion and her eye turns to the floor. She squeezes his paws back still "Monty...I...You're on a mission, travelling...you found danger in Southsward...outside the kingdom there's" she sighs "I need you to understand that...I want to. I...I like you, more than I've ever felt before. Enough that I want to ignore everything and say yes..." it takes her a moment to force out the "But" a big sigh and she closes her eyes "Out there are vermin. Everywhere and I can't...The slightest bit of danger and I don't think I could handle it again"

Monty's expression wilts a little more, as the doe pretty much lies out the reality of the situation. His ear(s) droop, gaze dropping to the floor as he listens quietly. A few moments of silence pass, before he finally raises his gaze again. There is a resolute glint there, as he gives the doe a firm nod. "Then I am staying," he replies. "I will speak with my comrades in the morning. I don't think I'm going to find a safer place than this castle, and I don't think I will ever find anyone else who understands what I've had to deal with, better than you. Why, then, should I leave?" The buck smiles. "Do you think the King would approve of me staying, Sola?" He gives her paws a squeeze again. "I could send a letter of resignation back home with Adrian..." he contemplates...

Sola looks seriously surprised when he says he's going to stay before her worried, scared look returns with a vengeance. She isn't worth upheaving his life over. He was young, maybe he couldn't see it now but he would. His friends, his lord, the patrol, everyone would tell him not to and that she was doing this and tricking him in to this. Was she doing this? She's getting herself worked up over the thought that she doesn't deserve this. She steps back, shaking her head "N-no...you can't...you-you just can't, not for me. I'm not worth this, not worth your life" she withdraws her paws as she steps away further "Your father's dreams, your work, your friends, you can't give that up...Just...just..." she suddenly turns in a panic and walks fast for the painting which had the hidden door behind it "This is too much. I can't deserve this"

Aaaand, there it goes. The thing he knew would happen, eventually. Having gone more than a few moments feeling what closely resembled happiness, the buck figured that something had to happen to dash everything and smash it to bits. So there it was. The buck can only stand there and watch Sola turn to go, his shoulders drooping, his ears flat as he tries to think of something to say, some way to call her back and get her to change her mind. But by the time he does, she is gone, the buck's arm extended towards where she'd disappeared. "Sola, come back!" he calls to her. But, she is indeed gone. Slowly, his arm drops back to his side, his face a mask of heartbreak. He turns and begins to shuffle back in the other direction, pausing at the door to peer back at the spot the doe had disappeared to. A sigh heaves in his chest, before he turns and slips back out into the hallway.

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#1 2019-12-09 10:53:35 PM

Tenderfoot Chronicles - LP - Tour of Castle Floret/Revelations

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