Midnight Rides

[_Kynwric_]

Gabriel had been thinking, something he tried to leave to his wife more often than not... but you couldn't rightly leave planning a surprise for her to herself. or at least he didn't think you could. The last anniversary they'd shared had not turned out so well, him having been imprisoned for it and he was determined that this time it would turn out far better. The sun was setting and he knew just where he'd find Julianne, which was saying something considering the state in which they lived. Fortunately neither Swandell nor Wriesling had figured out enough of the forest to puzzle out where they had set up home. The cave was a little damp at the mouth, but it made good shelter further in and was dry enough to be comfortable... it still was not a proper house and Gabriel hated it for that. Julianne deserved better than this and it was his job to provide it for her... and he couldn't. Upon entering the cave he could smell dinner over the cookfire and as he rounded the formations of rock that hid their living quarters from the outside world he could see her stooped over the cook fire with what looked like actual beef and not chicken or possum or worse. He wondered for a moment where she found a bit of beef to cook, right up until his stomach rumbled loud enough to catch her attention. At least his surprise was still intact, although it would take some time to travel to it this evening... after dinner. "That smells wonderful my wife... any chance its done?" As he covered the last couple of paces between them and wrapped his arms around her and pressed a kiss to her lips in greeting.

[U4ea]

Julianne was humming as she moved around their little cave. She'd had a good deal of fun this morning after Gabriel disappeared, though she debated telling him about it. She'd smuggled a sizable side of beef from Swandell's kitchen and he hadn't even noticed. It helped that she paid the cook regularly to keep tabs on usable gossip. She'd been making her usual visit for conversation and the cook had presented her with not only some juicy tidbits about guests that Swandell was expecting any day, but also a side of beef! She'd accidentally left it on the counter after telling Julianne goodbye and with a wink had disappeared into the stores behind the house. A grinning Julianne had then laced it on the back of her saddle and made her way back through the woods collecting herbs and some wild vegetables to finish off her surprise.

 

She spent the rest of the day soaking the beef and slow roasting it over a dancing fire. She turned when she heard Gabriel, or rather his stomach, enter the deep end of the cave, a smile hovering on her lips. "Near enough," she said softly, returning his kiss with a small laugh. "I trust you've had a productive day, since you've been away so long?"

 

~Julianne

[_Kynwric_]

He waved his hand at her question, replying. "I checked all the snares and tracked a buck for a while... but nothing to show for it. You've done much better than I... dare I ask how?" He was afraid she'd done something rash since the coin had run out from their acquisition from Swandell a few weeks back.

[U4ea]

Julianne just smiled rather than answer and bustled him closer to the fire. "I hope you've brought your appetite, since whatever's left over will have to be dried and stored soon. I need to go rescue something from the river, but I'll be right back. Make yourself comfortable."

 

She hummed as she danced out of the cave, heading to the river and pulling a thin rope she'd tied to a bottle of wine she'd also swiped from Swandell's kitchen on her way out. The river had chilled it quite nicely and she was still humming as she swept back into the cave a few minutes later, brandishing her surprise.

 

"Would you do the honors, love? You know how terrible I am with the corks in these things..."

 

~Julianne

[_Kynwric_]

Gabriel turned and watched the whole time Julianne was gone only turning back to the meal she had prepared as he heard her coming back to the entrance of the cave. When she handed him the bottle of wine he smiled and nodded, "of course.." and took his time opening the bottle before handing it back to her. "I wonder what Swandell is having of his meal tonight... since obviously you swiped the best of it." He didn't take his eyes of of her the whole time she returned to the 'kitchen' and back, a smile playing across his lips. Not even when she proffered the cup of wine did he move his eyes from her, taking in different parts at different times.

[U4ea]

Julianne felt his eyes on her with every step she took and barely refrained from shaking her head at him. Were it any day but their anniversary, she'd have thrown something at him for it by now. She grinned over her shoulder at his remark about Swandell, though. "I left him his potatoes, I swear!" She laughed, returning with cups filled with wine and trenchers for the meat that already had a pile of vegetables on the side balanced on a long tray. "He can't be too picky, since I'm pretty sure this was our cow he was eating, anyway!"

 

She handed him his trencher and then his cup and settled next to him, glad for the fire still dancing under the beef. "So, you've figured me out, then? Am I so transparent?"

 

~Julianne

[_Kynwric_]

"Light no, if I ever do figure you out I'll certainly let you know..." He took the food and smiled, taking a deep breath in to inhale the armoas. "I have no idea how you manage to cook so well in such poor conditions..."

[U4ea]

"A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do. I swore an oath to support you, after all, before the Creator and both of our families. Regardless of whether they'll ever know I failed you, I can't bear to think I let you get skinny when I could've kept some meat on your bones." She smiled and took a drink of wine, closing her eyes to savor it. "Besides, if we were to rely on you to cook, we'd have been dead years ago!"

 

~Julianne