Halflit.net:Carousel

“Margarete, this is my sister Rowan, you can call her Tiny for short. Tiny, this is Margarete, the most awesome of women, yourself aside, to have ever graced my presence.” Rook spoke in his best announcer voice as Rowan walked into the foyer before him, and received a thump to his chest as she stopped and elbowed him. “Hey!”

Rowan glared shot a venomous glare at her brother as she moved to hug Margarete, “I’d appreciate you not calling me Tiny, Roo is just being a pain. Pleased to meet you.” She ignored Rooks exasperated and innocent looks pointedly.

Margarete stepped back slightly and offered a hand, “Yes he does tend to do that, and at the oddest of times too. If not inopportune. I’ve noticed if you take a firm hand with him though he does what he’s told.” She managed to hide most of her amusement but a slight curve of her lips and a sparkle in her eyes gave away the lie in her last line. “So I wonder are there going to be more of us digging into things better left undiscovered?”

Puzzlement registered on Rowans face as she glanced back toward her brother, “What do you mean? We’re just here to spend some time away from the city, somewhat indefinitely…” Rooks laugh was deep and from the soul, it took him a few moments to actually recover and say anything in his defense.

Straightening he looked at his sister innocently, “Ah well what good is a vacation without adventure!” He turned a sly eye toward Margarete and caught movement at the top of the stairs as Charlie began his decent. “Some folk like to make trouble and pretend they’re not. Not me, I’m all about ownin up to the trouble I make.” His grin belied his lie and he turned to Charlie who was now near the bottom of the stairs, “Margarete this is Charlie, Rowans roommate. Charlie this is my good friend Margarete, she’ll be staying with us as well.”

Charlie descended the rest of the step thinking it better not to completely tower over the others and reached out to shake hands with Margarete, “It’s a pleasure.” Feeling somewhat reticent having not expected anyone else to be showing up.

“Likewise.” She offered the same simple sentiment in return. “Now then Rook, you’ll be taking my bags and showing me my room so I can properly socialize over tea yes?” She inferred that the rooms would be up, and began ascending the steps without waiting for Rooks acknowledgement.

Rook shook his head moving to and lifting the two large trunks Margarete had. He said to Charlie under his breath as he passed, “Ever the patient one her.”

“Rook if you’re going to denigrate me you can at least have the gall to speak up, or be quieter. Sometimes your myopia can be so very frustrating.” She moved all the way to the top of the stairs, each step sounding just a mite louder then her footfalls had been previously. Rowan glared at her brother a little harder this time thinking that he had hurt his friends feelings.

Rook on the other hand just shrugged, his smile only slipping slightly and bounded up the steps heedless of the bulk of the luggage. He wasn’t sure if he really had struck a chord or not, though he was fairly certain she was putting on a show. All the same he nodded his head down the hall and led her to her room without saying anything initially. He couldn’t gauge if she was boring into the back of his skull, or keeping the silence just to mess with his head. “I’m sorry if…”

She sniffed and made a face at him full of mock irritation, “Sorry? You? Of all people… sometimes you’re so easy to play.” She swept into her room, which was a door down from Rowans, taking one of the luggages from Rook she walked into her room. “Oh and of all things, how could you place a lawn gnome in the yard before the front door?”

Rook chuckled to himself, silly for him to bother worrying, Rowan had that effect on him though. He’d have to watch out for that. Dragging her second luggage in he placed it at the foot of her bed and turned for the door, “Well then do make yourself comfortable, I’m going to tell my other guests that you’ll be cooking some manor of lamb for supper. Till then it’s just about tea time, I should get the tea ready.” Grinning like a jackal he rushed off leaving Margarete glaring at the empty space he’d occupied.