Falik wondered in to one of the prettier garden courtyards.

It was one of those rare free afternoons. He had changed out of his uniform in to his normal clothes and forgone a trip to the city for some peace and quiet.

This garden was his favourite, filled with trees and flowers from all across Tortall and the Eastern Lands. There were even fig and olive trees from Persopolis.

He smiled sadly when he saw them. He was feeling a little homesick again. Things had been better in recent months since he had made more friends amongst the pages and squires and certainly life had been more interesting since Alexander had become his room-mate. He did sometimes just miss the other Bazhir and the sights, smells and sounds of his homelands.

He sat on a bench, closed his eyes and turned his face up to the sun enjoyng it's warmth.

Katherine walked out to the gardens. She saw Falik there and walked towards him holding to books in her arms.

"Hello... Sorry if I'm disturbing you, but I just wanted to give you these..." She held out the books to him. One was Tales of the Ocean. and the other one was History of Persoplis by Kaleem Al Basiri. "I had found this book and remembered you had said you father was a scolar, so I...um...thought you might want to see it..." She whispered sitting down next to him.

Falik was startled out of his daydream when he heard Katherine start talking to him.

He turned towards her and smiled broadly when she produced the books.

He took the books from her and turned them over in his hands.

"Fantastic! Father told me his books were in the library, although I hadn't found them yet. I have my own copy of this one with me, but it's an excellent read....and I'm not just saying that because it's my father."

He handed the book back to Katherine, blushing as he accidentally brushed against her fingers.

Okay Falik, he told himself today you're going to manage to say something other than Fantastic!

He placed the other book on his lap. "I'll read this as soon as possible. Or rather when I've finished helping Alexander of Rosewood catch up on all his extra homework." He sighed dramatically. "He's a burden I have to bear." He grinned.

Gwynn smiled as she entered the courtyard and caught a peak of Katherine and Falik talking. The page had a feeling about the two of their relationships's, and Falik had guessed her's for Alexander, so why shouldn't she see his. Grinning mishcheiviously, Gwynn sidled towards them.

"Yes," Gwynn drawled, "Alexander is quite a burden. But at least I'm here to help poor Falik help take care of him." The girl tossed her hair, fluttering her eyelashes importantly.

Gwynn couldn't help herself, and clutched her stomach to keep from laughing. Her Yamani training wasn't going to help her now; Gwynn couldn't keep back her mirth, and chuckled openly.

"Okay, okay," Gwynn murmered to herself, wiping the joyful tears that were streaming down her face, "I'm under control now." The page bit back another laugh. "I'd better leave you two now before I lose myself again. Well, toodles!"

The page once again began swaggering away, ready to burst out laughing again as she was out of site.

Falik nearly leaped out of his skin when Gwynn had suddenly spoke behind him. He was quite sure that as the girl had spoken, he had turned a warm enough shade of red to heat the whole castle.

As Gwynn walked away, Falik casually reached behind him and pulled a large sticky burr off the bush behind him. It wasn't big enough to really hurt, but in a swift movement he threw it overarm so it his Gwynn squarely on the back and stuck there.

He covered a grin with his hand.

Gwynn stifled a short scream as the burr hit her smack between the shoulder blades. The page snorted indignantly, hopping to the side, as she reached to pull the burr from her tunic. Gwynn yelped when a pricke stuck in her thumb, and flicked the burr from her hand.

Gwynn whirled around to see Falik with his hand over his mouth, snorted, and turned back. The girl swore to get the bazhir back. First it was her and Alexander, and then this!

Katherine accepted the book back from Falik and blushed as she felt his fingers brush hers. "I believe that while I was in the library I saw a couple more of you father's books..."she said.

She jumped when she heard Gywnn sneak up into there conversation. she blushed even more realizing what the girl must of thought seeing her and Falik together.

Katherine covered her mouth with her hand watching as a burr flew to hit Gywnn's back. She laughed quietly. "I hope that didn't hurt her" she said quietly for only herself to hear.

She turned back to Falik. Her face changed when she saw that her book had fallen off his lap when he had turned quickly. She bent down and picked it up, and started brushing off the dust that now covered the book. She wiped the bottom of her book to produce the author's name. Her mother's name...

Falik turned from watching Gwynn march off. He was about to say that it was almost worth whatever payback he would get from her, when he realised that he had dropper Katherine's book.

He was appalled that she was having to wipe dirt of it.

"I am so sorry!" he said, putting a hand on her arm, "I..I...I have a handkerchief....somewhere...I didn't mean to do that."

As he fubled for a hankerchief in his pocket, he thought to himself You oaf!

Katherine was trying to clean the book with her fingers, when she felt his hand touch her arm. She saw him produce a handkerchief, and she took it. She finished cleaning her book, but she kept it in her lap.

"Thank-you for...um...your handkerchief..."she said barely whispering. She was kind of embrassed and kind of upset all at once. She hugged her book to her chest, then placed it on top of her other book, on the bench besides her. She folded his handcerchief up and handed it back to him.

She turned on the bench so that her back was to him. She felt a small tear roll down her face. She didn't know why she was crying but she kind of guessed it was a habit. She just hoped Falik wouldn't say anything to her about her crying...

Falik was confused by Katherine, she seemed so upset as she handed his handkerchief back.

"I'm sorry!" he said again.

"Please..." He stopped, at a loss as to what to say.

He wasn't sure whether he should stay or go. His first instinct was to try and comfort the girl, but he wasn't sure it was either proper or what she wanted.

"I should....I should go."

He stood up

Katherine wiped her tears and stood and faced Falik. "I'm sorry...My mother's book is kind of special to me...I didn't mean to get upset..."She said. "Here..."she held the book out to him.

"I...um...I didn't mean to cry really..." she said kinda of embrassed. She blushed hoping that he wasn't mad at her or anything. "If I confused you...I'm sorry about that to." She didn't know what else to do, but leave but she felt that would be really rude....

Falik took the book from Katherine.

He looked her in the eyes.

"I promise you I will take better care of this than I do my own life." He said seriously. Then he smiled, "for what that's worth!" he added.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. It was me being silly that caused this. I ..." He trailed off, not sure what else to say.

"I just hate that I made you upset."

He was acutely aware of how close they were standing and he wasn't quite sure what to do.

He swept down in a very courtly bow. Talking in an overly flowery noble voice he said, "dear lady, the hour grows late and day grows...er....chilly. Would you be so kind as to accompany me to dining hall?"

phew!


((OCC: aww...they're both so sweetly inept aren't they! ))

" I hope you enjoy the book..."She whispered.

Katherine stood there, not realizing how close they were to each other. She blushed a deep red as she watched Falik bow in front of her. S

She curtised as best as she could. "I would be honored to join you in the dining hall..." She looked around and made sure no one what about before she linked her arm with his and started walking towards the dining hall with him.

((Yes! They are. So I'm guessing we are off to the dining hall now! LOL))

"So...um...what do you think they're going to try and kill us off with tonight?"

Falik felt, desperately, like he needed to keep on making conversation as they headed out of the courtyard towards the dining hall.

Oh good grief! He thought to himself.

((OOC: I'll start a new thread in the dining room. Hopefully some of the other pages will join us there.))