#earthrunes

"Certainly possible, although she looked unharmed. Still, if one is not used to the Silver it can still throw you."

"She is a granddame, but unused to trod travel? That seems unlikely."

August might be the slightest bit amused. "Perhaps she has been spending her life so far in pursuits other than travel?"

"Well, that's silly. Travel is wonderful."

"I agree."

"Oh! Travel! August, I just remembered....Labor Day is soon."

A smile.

A shy smile. "Are you interested in going back?"

A blink. "Isn't it our tradition?"

"It has been. It is possible you want to .... ah, mix things up." He offers.

"Oh." She considers this. Yes, she gives it serious consideration for several seconds. Then a pout. "I think the yurt would miss us." A decided nod.

"Well." quietly, but with that shy smile "I would hate to have that happen."

"Precisely!"

"Ah, now.... with everything going on it might be.... delicate, getting to the yurts."

She grins. "Oh, I imagine so."

He sighs. "But I have been keeping an eye on it and we do have a reservation. Sorry."

A blink. "Why sorry?"

"I have the feeling you'd have enjoyed sneaking in ."

"Well....yes." She smiles and squeezes his arm. "You know me well. But I'm sure we can get up to some other kind of mischief while we're there." A wink. "We usually do."

He pinks a little. "Yes. We do."

"Let's see...we've hiked...we've swum...we've canoed...and we've certainly relaxed."

"Ahem. Yes. And fished. And cooked. And, ah, read....."

"Oh, yes!"

"Sooooo....we either need to find new things to do, or revisit one or more of those."

"Or both. Revisit some favorites and do some new things."

"Unfortunately, the caverns are closed." He frowns.

"We could go birding." He offers.

"Oh.... are they?" A grin.

"Ah... the birds?"

A skeptical look. She knows he knows better.

"Yeeeeeesss....." Slowly "The caverns are closed. They can't staff them properly; it's dan....ger..... ous......"

The sounds of a man realizing he should have stopped talking a while ago.

A slow, emphatic nod.

A sigh. "I'll get the equipment we need prepared."

"Yay." She gives his cheek a kiss, then murmurs in his ear, "The really nice part is that climbing ropes can serve many functions."

His pink deepens. "Ah. Yes."

A contented sigh. "Good."

"I'll have to make sure that Derynwydd is available for the weekend."

"I'll make sure the bannerhouse has matters in hand, and find someone to lead while I'm away."

"No current crises, I hope?"

"No! No, thankfully. Steady progress, I think. I would wish to develop more Musing."

"Yes, that's increasingly challenging. Oh, we need to choose a new lock on the bridge to investigate, don't we?"

"We do." He tilts his head. "Now?"

"Oh...I really do want to meet this granddame while she's here. Perhaps later, or tomorrow?"

"Of course." He takes her hand and kisses it.

"Mmmm...." she gives him a very fond look.

"I forgot to ask, how are your classes?"

"Well.... lacking something, but I suppose I'm getting along."

"I'm setting up some distanced study groups."

"Lacking...you mean, not being able to be there in person?"