Anwyn's jaw dropped open in amazement. THIS WAS IT! Anwyn's jaw dropped open in amazement for a moment. THIS WAS IT! Then, strongly resisting the urge to squeal in delight, she shut her mouth and hoped that neither of the young men had noticed her reaction.
"See?" Gwenn said, leading them up to the house and turning toward Burl and Anwyn. "The thorns are like it has....Anwyn, what's wrong?" he asked. "'Tis like your drawing, is't not?"
Anwyn shrugged, as if it was no big deal. "Of COURSE this is what I was trying to draw", she replied, trying to sound as if she was only casually interested.
"Thanks for finding it again for me", she added more warmly, giving Gwenn a small smile, "I'd just almost forgotten how pretty this bush was, and how large its thorns". With a wave of her hand, Anwyn indicated the bi-coloured rosebush that sprawled lavishly over its trellis and framed the open gate in a rather picturesque manner. But, while the roses WERE rather spectacular indeed (dozens of enormous blooms of golden cream that subtly shaded through various tones of pink at each petal's edge), they were still only a distraction from her REAL purpose in wanting to come here.
Burl really did not know what to think about how Anwyn and Gwenn were acting. He had been nervously watching the area. But he still tried to be charming. "They are beautiful, almost as lovely as you," Burl told Anwyn with a smile. *And the thorns are fitting, too,* he silently added to himself, remembering Anwyn's accusations.
He received a wide smile that was partially pleased and partially confused. On one hand, Anwyn knew that she was no great beauty -- especially when she was wearing rather scruffy examples of what was considered to be low-class BOYS' clothing here. But on the OTHER hand, she also knew that sometimes men said nice things as a gesture of friendliness. And that ok by her standards -- even though she wasn't interesting in anything beyond occasional flirtation. Men were difficuly to understand. And she couldn't figure out WHY he seemed so nervous when there didn't SEEM to be ANYTHING nearby to justify it.
"Ah .. 'tis kind of you to compliment me so sweetly", she purred (warmly enough to be sure of discomforting Gwenn just a wee bit, but hopefully not so much as to anger him with her forwardness), "... I wish MORE young men had such fine manners as you".
Then her tone turned more curiously inquisitive, as she asked Burl "And what is it that's making you so nervous ? I hope it's not that you don't want anyone to see you admiring flowers. And I certainly hope that it's not ME that's the problem. I know I don't always LOOK like a girl to you -- but sometimes I prefer THESE clothes instead of the prettier feminine ones. Like I said before, I'm used to worlds where nobody much cares WHAT I wear".
Burl perked right up when Anwyn seemed to respond like a normal girl. "Well," he said hesitantly, "it's not the _usual_ garb for a damisela, but it's not that. I mean, some of the renunciate's daughters wear similar garb, only theirs is definitely not men's garb. But sometimes the people in this area aren't so...respectful of the guard as they maybe should be. Especially if they think we're snooping."
"Only on you, damisela," Burl replied, trying to be gallant as he kept an eye on the surrounding area.
"I HOPE that you're just teasing me again ...", Anwyn replied, part teasingly (but also part warningly as well). She STILL wasn't sure if they had found her by accident or deliberately. So, for now at least, she was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt.
Burl just gave what he hoped was a rogue-ish grin.
Anwyn then walked closer to the gate, still unsure as to what to do next. Telling Gwenn and Burl the WHOLE TRUTH was clearly out of the question, Anwyn decided. One one hand, Gwenn had seen Kay's fey- weirdness and it hadn't made him like her any less. But, unless Gwenn had TOLD him about it, she didn't think that Burl knew.
At best, surely they'd both think her to be totally daft if she started talking about dream-visions. And at worst, they'd think it to be some sort of sorcery -- and THAT could get her into even WORSE trouble.
And she didn't even know whether anyone would be at home, or who they might be. At this point, all she had was a single Gaelic name ("Uilleam") and an image she'd seen of rather distinctive man's face -- a long nose and two dark brown eyes peeking out ot a thick streaked brown beard. And NO CLUE as to whether or not the name fit the image, or whether they were connected in some other sort of way.
"So," Gwenn said suspiciously to Anwyn, "now that you know where it is, you are ready to go back to the spaceport? And what about Kay?" he asked.
Trying her best to hold in a giggle, Anwyn put on her best pretense of looking wide-eyed-and-innocent as she grinned at Gwenn. Then she quietly replied (almost too casually, as if she hadn't noticed his growing suspicions) "But why should I want to hurry back THERE so quickly ? Daylight won't start to fade for at least another candlemark or two".
"Aye, but I've only another candlemark I can escort ye about," Gwenn replied with a slight scowl. He'd only been suspicious that she was up to something, but now he was _positive_ she was up to something.
Anwyn shrugged, and then continued, "And what ABOUT Kay, MacConal ? She's probably still too busy at work to even THINK about me. And it's not as if there's anything WRONG with me just walking around and looking at flowers, is there ? Especially not with you two here, right ? I don't see how that could POSSIBLY offend anyone. Afterall, it's not as if I was trying to PICK flowers -- I wouldn't do THAT ... at least not without their owner's permission. But I think I WOULD like to make another drawing of this lovely yard and this cozy little town-house".
With that, Anwyn pulled out her sketchpad, and quickly wrote down the directions (in Gaelic) for how to get to this house from Leaves (just in case she needed them again later). Then she began to sketch the yard in detail with her grey pencil.
Gwenn sighed. It was clear Anwyn wasn't going to leave willingly-- at least, not until she'd managed whatever she was up to. "You wanted to meet me at Mestru Merrick's to discuss what we could do about Kay. Did ye change yer mind on't? Or will ye keep whatever ye've decided a secret?"