Simone and Shayn reached the gate, walking quickly with the supplies they'd hurriedly gathered for their journey to bring back Kyler.
Judah's presence beside them was more than enough to garner stares, and so they elected not to mount him until they were out of the city and away from most of the prying eyes.
"Just because you're risking your reputation on this doesn't mean we have to go out of our way to destroy it." Shayn had said.
It was a fair point. Simone wasn't sure she could bear to wrap her arms around him, or have his around her, in the public eye. Still, her face had turned red at his words, and she didn't argue.
It wasn't like Judah could go terribly quickly through crowded streets anyway, pacing himself so as not to run over or hurt anybody.
Shayn had said little else, his face dark when he looked away and mildly confused when he looked at her. It was puzzling.
The darkness, she understood. He and Kyler were as close as brothers could be, and the latter was in danger. Beyond simply heading towards a monster by the sea, the man was not equipped for survival on his own. He could easily have fallen from his horse and badly injured himself.
At the gate, there was a line forming to leave the city. Neither one of them knew whether this was out of the ordinary, since Shayn had been gone most of the last several years and Simone rarely had occasion to leave Klain. People shied away from Judah, while the large cat seemed indifferent, bordering on impatient.
He chirped toward the wall and Simone turned to him.
"Yes, I know you've scaled the wall before, I've read the reports. However, we've drawn enough attention for now and I don't think it would be prudent to leap the wall and potentially cause panic among the people. Beyond that, I just don't really enjoy heights," She admitted when Judah opened his mouth again.
The cat harrumphed quietly and sat on his haunches.
"I didn't know that," Shayn murmured.
"... well now you do," Simone looked away.
"No wonder you were crying when we fell off a crumbling mountain and leapt a gorge." He commented.
Simone's mouth fell open. They hadn't talked about what had happened at all, the way he'd held her face and wiped away her tears after she'd clung to him to avoid plummeting to her death. The way his green eyes had darkened when he told her he was glad she wasn't hurt.
How close his face had been to hers…
"Of course that had nothing to do with the dust and rocks that went flying into my eyes as we tumbled in a rockslide." She quipped to curb the direction of her thoughts.
"Exactly my thoughts," He nodded. "The fear of heights makes a lot more sense. I'm glad I know your greatest weakness now."
He grinned and she eyed him curiously. His barbs used to have much more sting. Now they seemed, for lack of a better word… flirtatious?
"If that's my greatest weakness, I must be doing very well in life," Simone replied a little cautiously. She wasn't sure how to take his words. Perhaps he was seeking distraction from Kyler's situation?
"Did you want to admit to anything greater?" He raised an eyebrow, and she blinked at him.
"Not particularly, no, but thank you for asking." She said after a moment's pause. "Did you have any you wanted to share?"
"You already know mine, remember? I'm too charming, and too handsome." He sighed. "It is a burden, but I bear it as best I can."
Simone caught herself before she laughed too hard, but for once he wasn't offended. She remembered sniping at him before that he did an excellent job suppressing his charm, and wondered if she should reevaluate that opinion now.
"It's too bad we aren't staying long enough for you to exercise your charm," Simone teased lightly as the line moved forward towards the gate. "It would be a shame to–"
"Simone!"
The lady turned just as Victoria plowed into her, squeezing her in a tight hug.
"You're back! You made it!" The younger woman cried.
"So did you!" Simone hugged her back, and then held her back to look at her better. "What on earth are you wearing?"
"Oh, I'm a soldier now…" Victoria glanced over her shoulder with a clouded look. "Sort of, anyway."
"Sort of?" Shayn asked. "What does that mean?"
Victoria moved past him to stroke Judah's nose. "It means that Gabriel got me assigned to be a nurse—his assistant!" She fumed.
Simone frowned. "I thought–"
"Well that's not important!" Victoria cut her off before Simone could finish her sentence–that she'd thought being around Gabriel more would make the girl much happier. "We've just found out there's terrible sickness spreading in from the North. We're being attached to a regiment on the way out to render aid."
"A sickness?" Simone glanced at Shayn, and he shrugged. "What kind?"
"I'm not sure, really. Gabriel's discussing it with the Captain, who is apparently a close friend and therefore willing to ignore my request to be assigned elsewhere." Victoria complained. "Where are you two headed?"
"We're going to find Kyler and drag him back home," Shayn said, a shadow passing over his face.
"Oh! I'm so glad!!" Victoria's words gushed out. "I wanted to go the moment we realized he was missing, but nobody cares what I want."
"I'm sure that's not true at all," Simone laid a comforting hand on the girl's arm. "Though I think there must be some information I'm missing on why you would have that opinion."
Her eyes slid towards Gabriel significantly, and Victoria's face turned red, as expected.
"Hmm." The younger woman hummed noncommittally. "I have to go, we're on orders to leave immediately, but I'll write if I can. Don't forget about me!"
"Of course I won't." Simone declared. "Write to the library, I hope I'll be home there soon and will send you back the news from my end. If I can..." The future was uncertain, and there was no telling what might happen between now and the writing of any letters.
Victoria glanced at Shayn with thoughtful eyes. "Will you now? All the news? I'll be a poor soldier in want of some good entertainment. I expect you to keep me apprised of all… interesting circumstances in your life."
Simone guarded her facial expression carefully and pulled Victoria into a close hug. "Don't embarrass me with your assumptions and I promise the same to you. Deal?" She whispered.
"Deal," Victoria giggled. "At least, I'll try. But I think you two would be cute together if you can ever stop arguing. I do hope your story is going better than mine."
She winked at Simone and walked away more light of foot than how she'd come.
"What did you say to cheer her up so quickly?" Shayn said softly, and Simone jumped. What had he heard? Or was he just assuming what had transpired in the women's whispers?
"You know Victoria. She can't stay in a bad mood for long," Simone shrugged. That was typically true of the young woman, who was a soft, cheerful presence wherever she went.
"An enviable quality, to be sure," He nodded seriously. "I'd claim to possess the same, but you would very fairly point out that I can maintain the foulest of moods for weeks on end."
"I wouldn't say that," She countered. "You were pleasant enough around the others, it was only around me that you lost your manners and good humor. And Walter, I suppose."
The last words made her smile, but he frowned.
"And is that still your perception of me?"
Simone opened her mouth for a well-crafted barb, but the sincerity in his eyes as he asked the question begged a real answer.
"My perception of you would take ages to discuss," She admitted without thinking.
"Oh? And why's that?" He brushed an imaginary speck of dust from Judah's mane in a gesture clearly meant to convey nonchalance. It failed.
"The line is moving! It's our turn!" Simone walked forward, glad for the reprieve from a conversation quickly getting uncomfortable. They were processed out of Klain with all haste, and crossed the bridge to the other side of the river.
Shayn took a deep breath of the clean, sunny air, and Simone did the same. Judah chirped impatiently and kneeled down with a measure of urgency. They were still within easy view of the city, but there weren't so many eyes out here beyond the gates.
"All right, now we can get to the important discussion," Shayn said, turning his piercing green eyes on Simone, who froze. "I think you know what I'm going to ask you."
"Do I?" She stuttered slightly, and he moved closer. Her mouth went suddenly dry.
"Of course you do," He replied, a little more quietly. "Do you want to ride in front or back?"