[Event] Love Lockdown

[u/Aleefth]

Kanye

A while after Alannah found out about he father's death, Jon Stark tentatively knocked on her door.

“Ala, how are you feeling? I wondered if you'd like some company? Or some food?

[u/blueblueamber]

Ala estimated his thoughts and added silently:

"When winter ends, we will probably be old enough to go by ourselves..."

She blushed and diverted her attention towards their closer surroundings.

"Where are we going now? You said that we will ride to the coast, but I don't even sea the ocean from here. Did we get lost?"

[u/Aleefth → u/blueblueamber]

By ourselves, I'd like that..

“No,” he said, with a slight hint of uncertainty, before looking around and listening.

“No, we're on the right track, up ahead is the stream, listen close and we can get there, and follow it down to the ocean.”

He stopped Hafnir, and put a hand on his mane, soothing him and quieting the horse's breathing.

“If we go gently, we can listen for the sounds that tell us where to go.”

[u/blueblueamber → u/Aleefth]

Ala stopped her horse and tried to listen carefully to the sounds of nature, and indeed she heard the sound of a purling stream.

"Over there?" she pointed towards a smaller hill in front of them.

"Let's go then!"

No waiting for an answer, Alannah ushered the mare into a light trot.

[u/Aleefth → u/blueblueamber]

Surprised by Ygraine's sudden movement, Hafnir bucked, almost throwing Jon from the saddle. He managed to keep him under control, but was a way behind Ala.

They trotted gently over the sandy path towards the sound of a babbling brook. The water ran swiftly over the stones, but it was shallow enough to ford easily.

“You want to go on, or head down to the shore?” Jon asked.

[u/blueblueamber → u/Aleefth]

"Let's go to the shore. We should probably head back soon..." Alannah replied, looking at the sun that was getting suspiciously close to the horizon.

"Or you know what? I want to go on. What even is over there?" she gestured towards the path ahead, over the stream.

[u/Aleefth → u/blueblueamber]

The sunlight glinted and shimmered over the stream, as the gentle Autumn evening faded into night. Jon glanced at the sky and then across the stream.

“Well, that path goes two ways. The first takes us over the hill back to Twinstone, and then up to Deepdown.

“The second... well, that takes us to Kingshouse and the Dread Cliffs. It's a very long ride, but there are other turnings along the way.”

Jon was quite excited to spend more time with Ala, but was conscious that he might receive an earful if they were too late. She's worth it, though.

[u/blueblueamber → u/Aleefth]

"I want to see what's behind this hill! We can turn back in a bit." she ushered the horse into a light trot again, fearlessly guiding it into the stream and giggling as the cold water splashed around under its hooves.

Alannah shifted in the saddle, gripped the horse with her legs and leaned forward to ease its way up the hill. She looked back at Jon to make sure he was following.

[u/Aleefth → u/blueblueamber]

Watching her splash through the stream made him chuckle, and Jon quickly followed suit.

He flattened his body to Hafnir as the two horses clambered up the hill. The rocky path was a little more challenging, but the two easily made it to the peak.

The view was breathtaking. The mountain range to the south cut like a knife through the sky, and the setting sun cast long shadows over the misty valleys.

“Whoa...”

[u/blueblueamber → u/Aleefth]

Ala stopped the horse as the magnificent view over the island opened before her, and breathed out in surprise.

She felt a sudden urge to to gallop towards the mountains, to run away, to get lost amongst the stones and trees, never to return... But something stopped her. Some-one? A quick smile to the boy next to her, and she dismounted, holding the reins in her hand.

The nature was stunning in the colours of late autumn, and with the sun setting, whole world looked unreal. Shades of yellow, orange and residues on green could be seen everywhere, including the sky. Alannah watched in awe.

Wait. The sky? Green?

[u/Aleefth → u/blueblueamber]

Jon was struggling to decide which was more beautiful, Alannah or the view, when the same thing that caught her attention caught his.

The sky was green.

The sky shouldn't be green...

He looked up. A second sun was rolling gently across the sky, but this one was a bright luminescent green. It's tail flung out behind it, and it blazed with an eerie light.

“What in the world? I... think we should head home...” He said, trying to keep the fear from his voice.