#earthrunes

Near an hour later, she hears foot steps, ones she knows as well as her own heart beat, and she hears a canvas being set up, and...Earl has come into the wood at the edge of her stream. And he is painting her.

Earl is.... splashed!

Blink blink

Mostly his feet - not the canvas.

Dark eyes peer at him, over a rock.

The troll seems stunned, and llooks down at his wet shoes, "Did you just..." He steps from behind the canvas, shaking one shoe, then another like a cat surprised by snow

a large blue cat to be sure

"Well, this is my stream. I believe the banks are, too."

"Is it?" He grins "And.. so I have intruded upon thy domain. What price do you think I shall pay for that?" Playfulness

"Wet toessssss."

She climbs up to sit on the rock, smiling.

"Well, such is the price" HE takes off his shoes, one by one, then rolls his pants up, and approaches the water proper, and sticks his right foot into the stream "Bit cold" He observes

"Aye! Wonderful, nu?"

She wiggles her toes at him. "Refreshing, too. Streams are more playful than rivers."

"It suits you" He admits and wades towards her chosen rock, "I didn't realize what fully was back here until now. You found it?" His eyes seem riveted to her face and form, the former more so than the later, for he swears she might be smiling and if this place delights her, he blesses it a thousand times over.

Earl does chuckle at her toes.

"August showed it to me."

"It is a gift, he says. From Coradel."

"I..." He looks around "I'm stunned. I was afraid she'd try to knight you. This shows a great deal more understanding of you than I suspected she had. " Earl bends down, scoops some water in a palm, and then sprinkles it about Zara as if it were rain from a leave returning to the stream to say hello again. He likes the way it slides against her pale skin and down her bony frame.

"Oh, then I would be forced to insult her..." A frown. "No. I do not wish to be a noble."

"But this?" She touches her wet cheek, and then reaches out to touch the troll's face. "Is this not delightful?"

"I know," he says "You are noble 'little n'" A kiss as she touches his face, then he strokes her back "It's wonderful"

Indeed, his fingers stroke down her cheek lovingly.

She curls her back at the touch, catlike.

Oh that encourages him to keep doing so as they talk

"Truth, Cora would have taken out the sword and spurs..."

"But. Aye. This is better."

"So much better" He nods and gazes at her happiness, "Only a few know of this place?"

"That is my understanding. August found it. You know I have not strayed outside the hold here for.. some time.."

"Well, I won't blab about it then" A smile, "And no... far too long since you wandered with your feet to wherever you willed." he sits next to her on the rock.

"Aye. Perhaps they have forgotten how."

"But this... this is nice."

"We will..." he bends, long arms reaching so his finger tips can playfully 'fight' with her toes, "remind them"

Which might tickle her by accident

She squirms. "Hey!"

"Wait, are you ticklish there?" His eyes light up in surprise and ..yes interest.

She retaliates with a poke at his side. "Nooooo." Oh, that's a lie.

"You are..." Delighted, "How much trouble will I be in if ..." playful finger waggle towards her feet.

"SO much trouble!"

He looks SO tempted regardless

She twists around him, testing to see if his sides are ticklish.

"Hey now, I am immune..."

"Mmm.. everywhere?"

"Thou hast so many places..." She breathes in his ear then traces a light fingertip against his neck.

"Now that's merely turning me on..." He says.

But as she experiments, she finds , ah, further down... not the sides per se, but the upper right side

"Gak" A he convulses a bit like a switch was thrown trying to stop a laugh

"You didn't see that" he blurts

A raspy not-laugh. "Ah-ha!"

"Now, Zara love... knowledge is power and power should be used responsibly"