[ P ] she loves me not

When Ace first heard about the flowers hidden about town, he thought it was kind of silly. How could a flower grant you passionate, eternal love? Sure, there had been many times he tried to woo women with pretty flowers on a first date, but he didn't think anything of them. They were just… flowers. They looked and smelled nice, but they weren't magical.

Then he found out the other part- having access to the King's garden. Now that could be useful, especially since Rook is wanting all the thieves to investigate and/or sabotage the upcoming winter ball. He already had plans to score a ticket into the ball, but it couldn't hurt to dig a little deeper.

Of course, Vic had been on his mind ever since their run-in in the woods. Unfortunately, Ace hasn't been able to find him since, so it was clear that he'd have to find another date to the garden. After all, he'd look way too suspicious going there without one. Lucky for him, he met a girl.

She hadn't been who he expected to ask on a date, but she seemed to like the way he talked. She wasn't too hard on the eyes either.

So, he holds the violet flower in his mouth, ready to give it to Elwynn when she arrives. He thinks the color might actually look pretty on her and he knows some girls like having a flower tucked behind their ear. Gestures like that could mean a lot on a first date, so he wanted to make sure to do things right. He isn't usually one to ask someone out on multiple dates, but it may be necessary for the job.

When he approaches the gate, the guard looks him over with suspicion. "Where's your date, boy?" they ask and Ace is mildly annoyed at the nickname. Does he really look that young?

"Oh, not to worry, sir," he says, puffing out his chest with a smirk on his face. "She'll be here. Her name is Elwynn, so send her my way when you see her." The guard doesn't seem too convinced, but lets him pass anyway. Ace nods and happily walks past the jackass into the garden. He's immediately greeted by the strong smell of a million flowers and he sneezes. Did people really enjoy this stuff?

But he has to play the part, it's important. So he waits by a stream painted with flowers of nearly every color of the rainbow.

She will come, he's sure of it.

"Speaking."

Ace Sinclair

@Elwynn

elwynnblackwood

This definitely wasn't her element. Elwynn couldn't recall ever coming this far south before. Had she ever even left the highlands? Frankly, she couldn't remember. She had thought about standing that boy up, but a part of her was curious to learn more about this so-called king and to see what this special garden Ace had spoken of was all about. The other part of her knew she should remain concealed and tell nobody about herself, lest they figure out just who she was and where she came from. She didn't need the whole of Rionnach lining up outside her forest with a lust for her blood. Still, she made the fool's decision and went.

When she approached the gate, she gave them her name and was allowed passage. She thought perhaps she shouldn't have told Ace her name but she liked to live on the edge, so she didn't think too much about it. As she walked in, she looked about curiously and spotted Ace holding a flower. He sat by a stream and the whole thing was a bit much. This seemed like some silly scene from a love story; and she certainly did not belong in such a tale. She was the villain in the story, not the damsel waiting to be swept off her paws. So why was she walking towards him? She sat down beside him and looked at him, her expression blank and neutral before a somewhat playful smile curled upon her lips. "What now? Do we fall in love?" she asked. It was a joke, of course.

"..."

table by hale. image from unsplash.

At last, there she is, the woman who is both terrifying and fascinating. He actually hadn't been sure if she would come considering they had only met once, but he's happy that she did. She has some kind of power over him that he can't explain. Could it be witchcraft? Or does he simply enjoy being a toy to scary women (and men)? Most likely the latter.

When she sits beside him, Ace can smell something darker among all the bright flowers of the garden. It's something floral, but secretive, like a sweet poison he would be stupid to fall for. Maybe he will be. Her smile is already intoxicating.

He laughs at her joke, then places the flower at her feet. "Well, they do say there is such a thing as love at first sight… but I personally like to let the feeling last a little longer. Enjoy the moment and all, you know." He flashes her his smile and winks, hoping she might catch his hint towards something else. Then he gestures to the violet. "Here, this flower is for you. I picked it myself." He still wants to put it behind her ear, but he'll make sure that she likes it first. One step at a time, he doesn't need to rush these things.

"Speaking."

Ace Sinclair

@Elwynn

elwynnblackwood

Elwynn looked at him a little blankly while he spoke; not getting the ‘love at first sight’ concept at all. Of course she’d heard of it in fairy tales but she’d never experienced it. No, her feelings bordered between violence and lust. She could hardly say she truly loved anyone, except for maybe Zoltan and even their love could be twisted in every sense of the word. Then again, you could twist anything.

She said none of this, of course, she supposed that would be odd to do on something considered a ‘date’. This notion compelled her to smile more naturally; if only out of amusement.

"Oh, how sweet." she commented, glancing down at the violet. It was a beautiful flower and he seemed quite proud of it. "You know, I don’t need flowers to ‘enjoy the moment’ darling, but this place is pretty public, don’t you think?" she said, looking up at him with a mischievous grin. She wondered if he was all that serious. He seemed a little young (though she couldn’t be that much older, in all honesty) and perhaps just a bit cheeky—so she couldn’t be sure.

"..."

table by hale. image from unsplash.

There are some wolves he will try to win over that are easier to please, then some who take a little longer to get there if they don't immediately shut him down first. Elwynn is very hard to read and it's making Ace's head start to hurt. He thinks she appreciates the flower, but also can't tell if there's a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

But then, she points out how public this garden is and he wonders if that means he could get farther with her than he thought. He looks around, seeing some couples in the distance just talking (for now). Ace doesn't know much about the King's garden, but he wouldn't be surprised if they could find somewhere more intimate.

He leans in closer so he can feel the heat from her body. "Nothing wrong with a little PDA… unless you had somewhere special in mind?" He raises a brow and returns his own mischievous grin. Usually he'd take some time to get here, but instead he finds himself following her lead and not minding where she takes him.

"Speaking."

Ace Sinclair

@Elwynn

elwynnblackwood

Elwynn smiled as he leaned in, his comment causing her brow to raise slightly. It was amusing to say in the least to have someone who would flirt back; lately she felt like she had to do all the 'work' so to speak. It was like the men of Rionnach were all puritans or something. She laughed softly, proably the first genuinine laugh she'd had in a while. "While my people have no problem with 'PDA' I think the delicate senses of the Crown might." she said, leaning closer so that her lips grazed his cheek as she spoke. "Maybe we should get out of here?" she whispers, placing a kiss upon his cheek before leaning back again. There is a smile that mirros his own, mischievous and full of sin.

She had seen the Garden, but it was not as beautiful as her home. The longer she remained in public, the more danger she was in. Not that she didn't like danger but she wasn't looking for it at the moment. She gazed at Ace curiously, wondering if he had anything else planned besides this. Had he been trying to woo her with these flowers or something? The thought was amusing and he gained points for trying harder than most others. She stood up, turning toward the exit and eyeing him, wondering if he'd follow or if he'd been all talk and no bite after all.

exit...?

"..."

table by hale. image from unsplash.