Athrym leaned against the stone pillar at the base of the boys dorm, arms folded and fringe laying against one blue eye. The other scanned the courtyard and paths around her. She was looking for her seemingly elusive fiance. Lately, it was like trying to pin down a fly. He was always oddly missing or making quick excuses...all for something she couldn't know about. It grated. A lot.

Still...they had things to discuss.

So, in the early morning, she'd walked to his dorm staircase. She waited, and waited, and waited. Eventually, he had to come home, right? Sure, she could probably use the Student Affairs office, but they were nosey sods who read your letters. No, she would wait for him. Right here.

"Clocking hell." She muttered, moving to stand on the steps, under the roof eves, as a light rain begain to fall.

Nauleth had somehow managed to get out of class early for once. Or at least the professor had run out of things to say before the usual dismissal time. Whatever the case, he was more than happy to head back to his dorm. He may have even had time for a nap before dinner. That would've been a rare sort of treat—sleeping.

Caught up in his own thoughts underneath his umbrella (yes, he owned one), it wasn't until Naul reached the foot of the steps that he noticed a familiar field. Looking up from under the rim, the dark-eyed boy offered a surprised, lop-sided grin to the blonde as he climbed the stairs,

"Well, I didn't expect to see you until lunch, Miss Bruthgrave." His tone implied he enjoyed saying her last name, if only because he was smugly happy about its now-temporary, tenuous existence. While Naul was quite aware he'd been purposefully hard to spend time with, it was not with any pleasure that he kept himself isolated. It was quite the opposite, really, and seeing a slightly unhappy Athrym was enough to remind him of how much he clocking loathed having to keep his secret.

"I hope you're out here in the rain waiting for me and not someone else." He added with quiet sincerity.

Athrym had planned on being haughty, perhaps angry and aloof. She'd planned on giving him a cold and unwelcoming exterior - an all business sort of stand. Then he arrived, looking up under his umbrella with his lopsided grin and (damn him!) that ridiculously good looking new hair cut! Watching him climb the stairs, her frosty expression melted, and she offered a reluctant smile.

"I don't know, Mister Siordanti...I've been standing here so long maybe some other gentleman has found the time to woo me." The blonde teased a little, reaching up to tuck back her fringe, an exeedingly easier task as her hair grew longer.

"Lunchtime was too long away, and too busy. I knew if I waited here, you'd eventually come home. I can't even be assured you'll be at lunch most days now." Pausing, she crossed her arms.

"You and I need to talk, in private." She gave him a stern look, thinking ahead.

"Not that sort of private either. A serious talk."

"Oh." Naul didn't pout, but the slightly wilted edge that appeared in his voice revealed that any boyish hopes of the other sort of private talk were thoroughly dashed. Had anyone considered courting Athrym while he walked home from class, they were surely doomed anyway. He didn't feel like commenting on that sort of truth; it was a simple matter of fact—scorch marks on the Lawn in his mind.

"Well," the dark-eyed boy pretended to be thoughtful, though he was really just tired, "it's not like I have any other plans for the rest of my evening. Where is the safest place for a discussion of the magnitude you're implying?"

He'd have offered his room, but it wasn't that kind of talk. Apparently.

Rolling her eyes a little at the youth's immediate dejction, she interweaved her arm with his and began to walk.

"Somewhere quiet, without the disruption of c-other people." Moving along, whether he'd chosen to or not, the blonde led him along the covered walkway between the boys dorm and the courtyard to the West Garden. It was pretty, and it was big enough to let other students walk past without accidental interuptions.

"It's nothing bad, really, I just think...with all the absences and the seemingly impossible task of keeping you in one spot...we should talk about this whole wedding thing." Athrym said as they strolled, watching the ground and her feet step one after the other.

Nauleth could be held in one spot, sometimes for longer than he wanted to be, but it just wasn't the most convenient of spots for Athrym since he couldn't invite her, couldn't share with her, and couldn't even talk about it with her. He followed along with plenty of willingness, doing his best not to make uncomfortable faces at her comments.

"I haven't meant to be absent." Came the final comment with only a hint of disgruntledness, "It's just ... happened—"

He cleared his throat, and changed the subject quickly, "—So, w-what about the whole wedding thing would you like to talk about?" Naul had assumed he really didn't have much say in everything, anyway. He was rather okay with that, however, considering it was really just a very fancy, stupidly expensive means to the end he wanted with the blonde, "Something in particular?"

The girl sighed a little, keeping silent for a while as they strolled. It was a nice afternoon, even with the rain. The sunlight still shone through the fine drizzle, creating a golden flicker with each droplet, shining off the slick grass. Little bugs flew between the rain, glowing like dust in the orange sunlight. As they neared the turn which would take them to the West Garden, she sighed again.

"Yes, something in particular. A rather important something." Frowning a little, she turned him towards the entrance, hoping he was ready with that out of place umbrella as the cover of the walkway dissapeared into pathed courtyard. The West Garden at least had a pagola they could sit under, away from the rain.

"Nauleth, when exactly are we going to be married?" Athrym asked softly, unsure of how to approach her question. It seemed like whining, nagging...but it was a genuine question. All this talk of 'before graduation' was enticing...but when exactly was it going to be? They needed to set a date. For her sake, and perhaps her mothers.

"Whe—What?" Nauleth had walked along contentedly, wordlessly enjoying the stroll while trying to surmise the particular subject of the important conversation. While he usually appreciated Athrym's general bluntness, he hadn't been considering their wedding much lately. It took him slightly off-guard, but not exactly in a negative way.

While he stuttered, the dark-eyed boy managed a lopsided smile, tilting his head coyly in a way that was no longer obscured under any bangs, "I didn't think that was my decision to make, honestly. After all of the formalities that we were fortunate to enjoy, I guess I just figured that part would work itself out."

His tone was somewhat sheepish, revealing he'd been more concerned with the end than the means.

"How long does it take to arrange one of these things, anyway? Are you sure we can't just elope instead?"

Athrym scoffed a little as they walked, looking sideways at his impish lopsided grin.

"Just because you think its all for the ladies, this wedding business, doesn't mean you shouldn't involve yourself Mister Siordanti. We do value your input. Especially with things like time-frames." As they reached one of the white pagolia's, she sat in front of him, looking up at his face.



The blonde raised an eyebrow, silent for a moment, small smile on her face. Finally, she chuckled.

"Carmell would be so clocking mad at us if we did. But honestly Nauleth...I don't want half the Giorans here. I just want to spend the rest of my days with you." Secretly, she wanted to wear the pretty dress Carmell had brought out for her...and she wanted to see Naul in fine garb. But really, in the end, all she wanted was to be his.

"Perhaps I can talk to her, advise her that we are not waiting any longer. Mother is fairly adapt at orgnaizing things. I do honestly think the only thing she is waiting for is our response on a date...and the matriach from Gior whom I wouldn't know from a bar of soap."

"If I gave a time frame," smirked the boy lop-sidedly, though it was obvious he was simply fighting back a sly grin, "I'd probably get myself disowned ... again. No one in either of our families would appreciate hearing yesterday or next week from my lips, I'm sure."

Naul took a moment to close the umbrella and set it down now that they'd paused in one of the decorative shelters that dotted the garden. All the rain was obviously a blessing to the foliage for hints of brightening greens and flowers were starting to prove that winter was over and real warmth was on its heels. Choosing to remain standing for a few minutes, he hovered in front of Athrym and continued,

"I wouldn't want untold generations of Giorans out for my blood." Nauleth chuckled teasingly, "Especially if this matriarch is any more experienced at intimidation than your mother."

It wasn't that he objected to a formal wedding so much as what he considered the senseless crowds—family members who obviously were only there for social gain instead of out of any personally invested interest. He'd enjoyed his past two years of avoiding as many formal Siordanti gatherings over his backlash, and the thought of all of that flooding back for even one clocking day annoyed him immensely.

Then again, such perceived torture would probably be worth it to see the blonde in some kind of unimaginably radiant wedding attire.

Probably.

"I'm not doing anything tomorrow that I know of." Naul taunted after a few moment's of thoughtful silence.

Athrym laughed a little, shaking her head. What exactly was the hold up? She didn't really want half of gior coming to scoff at her young marraige...and the dress was pretty, but it wasn't like a dress would make her wedding complete.

Looking down at the ground, she swung her legs a little, thinking. How would they go about it? Would they tell Carmell and the other parents? Would the everine do it, or would they have to make a quick stop in Vienda and speak with the permit office...no...Everine kept birth, deaths and marriages records...surely it would be their task to marry one off.

"Tomorrow is free in my books." She said quietly, still looking at the ground. After a moment of silence, she looked up at him.

"Seriously."

Naul laughed, shaking his head, convinced the blonde was joking, regardless of the flush of a thrill that raced down his spine at her words. A hand strayed to his short hair, fingers ruffling the tuft of white above his left temple as the amusement faded in his throat—something about Athrym's tone sank in once she looked up at him and his sharp features flooded with color. The boy's heart fluttered suddenly in his chest, taut like a bowstring waiting to be released,

"Gods, that's not funny." He hummed, rolling his dark eyes as he moved to slide onto the bench next to her, close enough to brush damp shoulders, "Our parents would kill us for sure."

One of his hands found hers, fingers intertwining, "I mean, it'd be clocking fun to snub all of that mess just to be ... official." Nauleth grinned finally, lopsided and haughtily devious, "But surely even eloping takes a bit of planning on our parts?"

He could at least entertain the idea ...

The blonde laughed a little at his reaction, gladly letting her fingers intermingle with his own, leaning slightly against his shoulder. It was sometimes so easy to forget moments like these, alone together without the interuptions of school and secret missions. She smiled, rubbing her thumb over the back of his hand.

"I don't even know where to start to be honest. Would it be something to approach the Church about, or do you go and visit a permit office? And then, surely there must be a witness for these things. Who would witness it for us? Maybe...maybe it would be more than an elopement, but surely we don't have to let Carmell run this whole thing. Bells and chimes Naul, I don't want all the frills and what have you. I just want something nice, and small. Something private. As far as I can tell, Carmell wants to invite the entire school and half the population of Vienda." Athrym shuddered a little at standing in front of that many people. It was intimidating. Sighing, she looked at the boy again.

"Maybe we could just tell them we want a small ceremony here, in the Church of the Moon. I mean, it is sort of special, for us." Her pink lips pulled into a fond smile. Back when his hair was longer, and her's was shorter. Back when she didn't know how to reach out and open her heart. They'd started there, under the flagstones of the church, deep down in the dusty crypts. That had been where it all began really.

Naul sat in blinking, tight-lipped silence, a little surprised that they were seriously discussing exactly what they were currently seriously discussing. He banished thoughts of horrified parents from his mind, already very aware of his tenuous status with them—improved though it was from two years ago.

With a slight shake of his head, the dark-eyed boy let a smile slowly return to his aquiline features at the mention of the Church. He supposed bringing up lunch or the Lawn would've spoiled the comment, but he found it lovely that Athrym considered such a place as an appropriate beginning to what they shared now,

"I'm guessing there'd be someone who could act as a witness at the permit office, though I have no idea if we'd need to get the Church involved. I suppose so. Surely, there's an Everine who wouldn't consider us entirely scandalous ... few as they are."

Naul chuckled, unsure but curious, "We could always have something fancy later. For everyone else."

The blonde smiled at him, full of affection and adoration. He wasn't avoiding it, he wasn't making excuses. The salt and pepper haired boy was as serious as she was.

"Perhaps it would do us well to go and talk to the Everine about it? I mean, taking doesn't hurt anyone." Sighing, she moved her hand, wrapping her arm around and inside his own. Turning her head, Athrym raised up a little and planted a light kiss on his cheek.

"I think that would be fair. Carmell would get her event, and we could be wed. I'm sure some people will talk...but then...when have they not talked." Her grin was positivly mischevious. It seemed like the pair - as unsociable as they were - had contributed to the gossip at Brunnhold more than anyone. What would the masses do without another scandle? Pausing, she reached up to tuck back her fringe again.

"What about your parents? I don't clocking care about what mine actually think, but...your father..." She trailed off, waiting for the boy to respond. For all her eagerness, she didn't want to ruin Naul's tenuous relationship with his parents.

"My father just wants to see me do something with my life, I think." Naul answered with a hint of a waver of doubt in his voice, "Whether or not me eloping is part of that plan probably doesn't matter. I just can't waste my time anymore." He shrugged, though it was far from nonchalant, looking out into the rain and the garden, "Other than that, I'm not sure I care, either. They'll either clocking get over it or they won't."

If his parents decided that he was making another mistake, it certainly wouldn't be a severe one compared to his previous misadventures. He was, in some ways, avoiding a major scandal with a minor one. Surely, that would make up for something ...

Naul smirked, adding quietly before turning his dark eyes back onto Athrym, "I don't have a problem with making campus talk if you don't—" he grinned lopsidedly, "—especially if we don't have to live on it."

Athrym laughed softly, looking out over the afternoon garden, through the mist like rain and at the vast meandering campus. It just seemed so perfect, leaving the school in the afternoons and walking to their own house. Their home. The thought of it brought butterflies to her stomach, and she sat up to look at him properly.

"Oh enough of this. Lets do it!" The pale girl said with enthusiasm, icey blue eyes bright with excitement. In her head, Athrym had already planned out her path of attack. Firstly, they should find the permit office in The Stacks. If anyone had any rules about anything, it was the permit office. Then, if it was the right path, they would talk to the Everine. Then...then what? Then they choose a day and were wed? Wedded. Married. Her insides flipped as she thought the words.

"When would we look for a place to stay? After the ceremony? Before?" Her voice was edging on giddy excitement, which she was trying poorly to keep under control.