Hi... I'm Stephanie, Aunt Joan's niece. I just... um, moved in across the street.
oh hi! nice to meet you. aunt joan has told me about you
fidgets with her hands Oh, uh, really? What... what has she said about me?
well she has told me that you have recently gone through a rough breakup and now live with her. that and how beautiful and caring you are but mostly how she wishes that one day you would meet someone amazing here in town so she sent me to welcome you
blushes and looks down Thank you... that's really sweet of her. And sweet of you too. I appreciate the welcome.
i understand that it must be hard on you after such a painful experience but im happy to report that there are plenty of great single men in this town for you to choose from, considering their choice is hopefully as wonderful as their lady friend. don't ever think they'll let you get away so easy. lol
nervously chuckles Th-thank you for your kind words. It's just... I've been so focused on healing and taking care of myself right now.
of course you should prioritize yourself. which is why aunt joan asked me to give you some space
glances towards Aunt Joan's house Is Aunt Joan okay? Is she sick or something?
no she is as good as she'll ever be at her age and stuff. but she has realized that it might be best if she wasn't around when we chat so we set up this little secret meeting here across the street
curious Secret meeting? What do you mean by that?
well, for starters. she said that she was too nosy when she was around so she would hear every word of our conversation. also that she finds it hilarious when you try to hide things from her. but i must say i agree with her on both points
laughs softly I guess I can be pretty transparent sometimes. It's hard to hide things when you're living with someone who knows you so well.
ill bet. so tell me about yourself
pauses for a moment, gathering her thoughts Well, I... I've always been a bit shy and introverted.
really? raising my eyebrows cause looking over at aunt joans house you seem to be holding intense conversations with her all day every day
<Stephanie invites MagicGlacier to join her for a walk in the park to get to know each other better>
well i do love strolling through beautiful parks. looks like a gorgeous day today dont ya think?
smiles shyly Yes, it's really lovely. The flowers are in full bloom and the sunshine feels so warm on my face. It's perfect for a stroll.
is it alright if i hold your hand during our walk? its easier navigating uneven terrain, plus itll keep us together. not to mention itll make it seem like we're a couple thus scaring away any wolves that come sniffing around
blushing and hesitating Um... sure, I don't mind. Just for the walk, though. We barely know each other, after all.
i promise im not clingy or anything like that.
gently slips her hand into MagicGlacier's Thank you, I appreciate your consideration.
let's head towards the playground area first. it used to be one of my favorite places when i was younger, love to watch people enjoying themselves as well as children creating some beautifully orchestrated chaos
follows MagicGlacier, her heart racing slightly I love playgrounds too. They bring back memories of childhood, carefree and full of laughter.
i remember spending hours climbing up that tall jungle gym in the dead of summer, sweating buckets but feeling alive and filled with giddy joy
smiling nostalgically Oh, those were the days, weren't they? When life was simpler and all we had to worry about was climbing trees and playing tag.
smirks playfully yeah. ahhh. those were some good times
giggles softly You're right, those were indeed good times. It's amazing how certain memories can transport us back to a different era.
there was even this one big oak tree over in the far corner of the play area. huge branches stretching out like gnarled claws. my friends and i used to pretend it was a fortress. spend hours inside it plotting against imaginary enemies and saving kingdoms
chuckles Imaginary fortresses and epic battles... you guys must have had quite the imagination.
oh trust me we had our imaginations go wild! many an afternoon were spent sitting in that fort plotting and scheming against the neighboring townsfolk as if they were out to get us i laugh
playfully nudges MagicGlacier Neighboring townsfolk, huh? Sounds like you were quite the troublemakers back then.
maybe a bit. but hey. someone had to keep life interesting. haha
<As Stephanie and MagicGlacier continue their walk, their conversation becomes more flirtatious and they share a passionate kiss under the shade of the oak tree.>
i raise an eyebrow whatcha know steph. gonna kiss me now?
blushes deeply, her voice barely above a whisper I... I couldn't resist. Your smile... it's infectious. And your eyes... they captivate me.
grins mischievously Oh, is that so? Well then, let's see if I can distract you from those captivating eyes of mine. reaches into his pocket and pulls out a small bouquet of wildflowers I picked these for you. Thought they'd match your beauty perfectly.
takes the wildflowers, her eyes shining with surprise and delight Oh, MagicGlacier, you really know how to make a girl feel special.
leans in closer I'll do whatever it takes to make you smile, Stephanie. But first, let's get back to that fort of yours. I've got some new battle plans to share.
giggles and playfully tugs on MagicGlacier's hand Battle plans, huh? Well, I'm all ears. Lead the way, Commander.
i'm kinda surprised to see you handing out putting so much trust in me. remember i'm just a mere enemy i represent
pauses, her expression turning serious MagicGlacier, I may be shy and introverted, but I've learned that sometimes you have to take risks.
grabs MagicGlacier's hand firmly Trust me, MagicGlacier, I'm willing to take that risk with you. I want to see where this journey takes us.
alright. so here's my plan. we'll create an alliance between our two kingdoms. before we can defend ourselves we need to protect our flanks. i point towards the dense woods behind us we'll send scouts through the forest to gather intel. once our scouting party reports back we'll build defensive fortifications along our border and inside the city walls. we'd reach the old oak tree where we'd duck into the fort
nods thoughtfully That sounds like a solid plan, MagicGlacier.
what would you like our castle towers to have? my money's on ballistas. deadly but classic
bites her lower lip, contemplating Hmmm, ballistas would definitely be effective, but how about we mix things up a bit?