An Almost Betrothal Gift

Writers: Miriah, Suzee
Date Posted: 8th July 2013

Characters: Karhal, Loella
Description: Karhal gives a little gift
Location: Amber Hills Hold
Date: month 2, day 9 of Turn 7

Karhal

Loella

Karhal walked silently up to Loella, watching as she hung clothes on a
line with practiced motions. He watched for a moment before a
mischievous glint appeared in his eyes. With a quick grab, he gripped
her waist and pulled her against him, hand on her stomach.

"Aaah,"Loella squealed in surprise and whipped around ready to fight.
Until she saw who it was and punched him in the shoulder. "Oh you,"
she shook her head with an embarrassed smile. "How such a big man can
be so quiet is beyond me."

He didn't even wince at the blow and gave a slight chuckle as he bent
to kiss her cheek. "Practice. I want to show you something."

"Oh," she inquired with a lifted brow. Double meaning dripped from the
word. "I thought I couldn't see that yet."

Karhal blinked and then choked back a laugh. "Faranth woman. No, you
can't see _that_ yet." **Even if I really really want to show you.**
He cleared his throat and tried again. "Finish your laundry and then
follow me."

Loella's self satisfied smile. She loved the way he reacted to some of
her comments. "Sure," she said and bent to retrieve the last few
garments to be pinned up and pulled the pins from the bag hanging on
the line. In a matter of moments she was done and ducked through the
clothing to put the basket inside and call out to her mother that she
was going for a walk with Karhal.

"Alright," she smiled. "Ready to go."

Taking her hand, Karhal led her towards where the kennels had been
built. He didn't say much of anything, but there was a sense of
purpose to his walk. His mind had been on what he was going to present
to her, but her double entendre has sent his mind elsewhere, blasted
woman.

Finally bringing to her to a small, cool building, he pushed open the
door and quietly tugged her behind him into the dimly lit room. There
in a padded bed in the corner was movie, surrounded by squirming pups.
Their eyes were open and they have little yaps as Livie stopped
cleaning them. The canine mother thumped her tail at their appearance
and rose to greet Karhal with eagerness. Surprisingly, she did not
give Loella a growl of warning as she had Zathris, but instead greeted
her with a mild wag of a tail.

She was going to say something about pulling her into dark rooms but
then she saw Livie and her pups and smiled. "Oh my," she said softly.
"Oh Livie," she said in a friendly voice. "You're such a good girl."
She turned to Karhal. "Will she let me near or should I stay back?"

"She knows you. You'll be fine. If she was bothered, she wouldn't be
away from the pups." He smiled at the expression on her face. "Zathris
is getting two, and the others will hopefully be good guard dogs, but
there is one that I want you to have a look at. " He approached the
pups, Livie trailing behind to observe. He knelt and picked up the
smallest, a brown and black pup that was the spit image of its dam.
"This little one will be yours."

"Mine?" She reached out a hand to stroke the tiny head. "Are you sure?
Is it a boy or girl?

He handed it to her, nestling the now squirming, yapping pup into her
hands. It's eyes were opened and it gave sharp little yips. Livie
hurried over and snuffled at Loella's hand as if to assure herself
that the puppy was alright. "It's a girl. And yes, I'm sure." He
rested an arm on his bent knee. "I thought it might good for you to
have a canine like Livie. I can't always be around and my job isn't
always the safest. I want you protected." He met her eyes. "I want you
to train her with me. To learn how to handle dogs like Livie. You're
smart and you're quick witted; I think you could handle it."

Loella sank down to her knees despite her skirts and cradled the
little pup with both hands. "She's so little." The yipping calmed and
the little girl settled down on her wobbly little legs. She looked up
at Karhal with gratitude. "She's lovely," but her eyes darted to his
face when he said he wanted her to help train the little canine.
"Really? you think I can do it?"

"Yes. I wouldn't want you to start if I didn't think you were up to
it." He looked at her warmly. "But there's another reason as well.
Lord Zathris wants this pair for Lady Benani and their children. You
would know more about what is needed for a Lady than I, and I figure
that Lady Benani would feel more comfortable learning commands with
another woman than a man. " He stroked Livie soothingly before the
canine laid back down with her pups, but kept an eye on the stray one
in Loella's hands. "You'll be my partner in this, Loella. If you're
willing."

Loella was pleased by the gift of the puppy but she was also flattered
beyond belief that her husband to be would actually want her to help
him with his _work_. She was almost overwhelmed with the thought of
all she'd have to learn about the beasts and how to work with them.
She didn't to know what to say. For once Loella was unable to find
words.

"Karhal, I... are you sure I can do it?"

One brow arched at her hesitation and his lip corner curled upwards.
"Yes. It's not a craft, it's complicated at times, but you have the
brain for it. Loella, I've never seen you uncertain about anything.
You lunge head-on into things. Why hesitate now?"

"Alright," she said and basked in his praise. Karhal's opinion was
very important to her, more so than he probably knew. "I don't know,"
she replied. "Maybe I just never expected to help you with your work.
But if you think I can I will give you my very best." The puppy in her
hands had fallen asleep and she held it against her chest and dropped
a kiss on the little head. "She's beautiful just like Livie."

"I know you will." Karhal gave a slight smile. "Besides, you don't
strike me as the type to be happy with staying at home doing the
mending. You'd be bored within a sevenday. And.." He gave a pause and
spoke plainly. "If anything ever happens to me, you'll have a skill
you can use to support yourself in some way. It's not much, but it
would perhaps be enough to allow you to be independent to a degree. "

Karhal looked at the pup in her hands and nodded. "And if she's like
her mother, she'll be smart. Though I imagine she may be a good deal
smaller. But she'll be easier for you to handle and be a good
companion for you when I'm not around."

It gave her a warm feeling about her future that had seemed so empty
for so long. Loella carefully placed the puppy back in the box with
it's littermates and got to her feet. "When will we start?"

"It won't be until after the pups are weaned. You can start observing
me with some of the new canines, but I'd prefer you to start with a
pup. Training a older canine can be a bit different. And of course,
you may be busy with your mother making wedding plans as well. " A
smile grew on his face. " I wouldn't be surprised if she kept you very
busy with that."

"I'm good at observing you," she said with a sly smile. "I have a lot
of practice." But when her spoke of their wedding her face softened.
"I'm sure she will," she said.

Last updated on the July 19th 2013

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An Almost Betrothal Gift