"If I fell in love with ye, would ye promise to be true...and help meeeee....understand. Cause I've been in love before...and I found that love was more...than just....holding hands....If I give...my...heart... to ye.... I must be sure....." from the veeeryyyy start....."
OK Leo. Tonight is the night you tell him how you feel. Ask him and see what he says. What is the worst that could happen? He could say no...and kick you from the Lodge. Rendering you homeless, again, with no where to go. AND HE COULD SAY NO!!!! Not even my music can pick up my mood today. I don't think anything will....
Hound-Friend is home!!!! Time to shine! Show him the meal you cooked, with meat this time. Show him the Shepherds' Pie the Shepards Shepard for. Your masterpiece in potatoes and lamb! Mum always said the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I pulled out all the stops tonight. Not only the Shepherds' Pie my family wishes they were here eating, but my sticky sweet honey cakes. None shall resist me!!!
He asked about how I'm doing! He cares! He noticed! Feeling more confident now. Tree-Walker is teasing me. Good for her!! He wants to make me feel welcome!! Ooo! He moved closer. He wants me to feel less an outsider....Now isn't the time to ask. After the Moot. After. When there are less people to see if he says no. What if he doesn't say no??????? I hadn't thought that far ahead....What if? Don't think about it now. Just focus on the task at hand. Get dinner to everyone and make it through the Moot. Hopefully, without flirting with everyone like the last time...and the time before. You have a sickness you know that Leo?
Hello Ljota and thank you for drawing his attention away from me and my nervous self. You get an extra big honey cake. Extra honey!! Oh my goodness! Quit flirting with him woman!! He wants to call my bluff? Call it. I dare you. Thing is, I am not bluffing. Not this time. Not tonight. Check on dinner. Don't burn it. Everything must go well tonight. You've got this, Leo!!! Confidence! Hope! The family motto!!
And here is my love's sister, Home-Wright and her hound, Honeycakes. Did I get the idea of which dessert to make from her hound's name? Yes, yes I did.
Sounds like everyone is here. Time to serve the Shepherds' Pie to blow their minds! I also made a non-Shepherd's Pie for Ljota and me. Plant-eaters unite! Everyone is here and ready for food it looks like. Including Niht who is sitting at the table!!! Such a good boy! I am so glad I saved some lamb bits for the pups. Home-Wright loves my cooking!! That girl has a place in my heart!! She is always so pleased with whatever I cook. I want to make her all the most delicious dishes. Time to get everyone drinks and sit to watch them eat. I hope he likes it!!
Hound-Friend isn't sitting at the head of the table! Ok..time to act, Leo. Causally walk over and sit next to him like it isn't a big deal. Get some food and go sit. Super causal. Not something to bark about. Get it? Bark. Teehee! Ok focus! Food, done...now to sit and...DONE! Sitting next to him all causal like I am not about to ask him something important tonight that could change the course of our relationship forever. No big deal. You've got this!!
They are all eating!!! They look like they like it!! Home-Wright certainly does. Tree-Walker and Ljota are eating...good. Very good. Hound-Friend...is picking at it. NO!!! Take a bite, I swear it is good. Please, please, please take a bite. Just one! Ugh! More clan business about Orcs. Oh! The Honey Cakes! I need to take them out! I can't believe I almost forgot them! Not burnt! Whew! Close one Leo. Pay more attention.
Ok, sitting back down. Can finish my dinner, then ice the buns, then more mind blowing deliciousness. Three raps on the door. Must be Em. Let them all eat and talk about their moot. I can get the door. He said thank you!! Stop it! Calm down! You don't need to get excited over every little thing he does. Calm down. Better. Yep, it was Em. I am getting good at this. She has her pup Gloss with her!! Aww! He needs lamb scraps. Time to get Em some water and bring the bowls of lamb treats for the pups. Pups fed. People fed. Time to finish dinner. They are getting quiet. I wonder if the Moot is winding down.
Home-Wright is being adorable and talking to Honeycakes again, like he can understand her. Maybe he does and only she can hear him? Doesn't matter. It makes her happy. He seems happy. Let it be. She is telling him to protect me! Bless them both! I think I am going to cry!! Don't cry. Your eyes will get puffy and you don't tell someone how you feel about them with puffy eyes. She is getting more to eat!!!! She likes it!! I really need to cook for these Woodmen more. Hound-Friend is taking a bite, finally. Ok...raised his eyebrow...takes another bite...HE LIKES IT!!!! He likes it!!!! Ok, calm down. Bring in the empty plates to the kitchen and ice the honey cakes.
I hope they like them. Took me three hours of overtime to earn enough money for the ingredients. Spent the whole time with that Forman thinking of reasons to brush up against me. Blegh. Home-Wright is interested. Got one! I knew she would be. And they all pounce!!!! AH!!!!! This is the BEST confidence boost ever!!!! HE SMILED AT ME!!!
Let them talk about bird training. They like my cooking, they have full bellies, a sweet treat, and they are smiling. Even if he tells me no, I will always cherish this moment. Ok, get those dirty dishes into the kitchen before you start crying. Everything is going so well right now. Time to get some washing done so Ljota can relax tonight. They all deserve a break after the preparations they have been making and the stress they have been under. I hope this was a nice night for them. Maybe it will help them carry on.
"Though my eyes could see I still was a blind man....Though my mind could think I still was a mad man.....I hear the voices when I'm dreamin'......"
Here comes the man of the hour, though he doesn't know it. The hounds' bowls! I forgot! Oh, and apparently I owe Ljota an apology. She is in charge of keeping the lodge and I just stepped on her toes by doing all this. Ugh! I was hoping this night would go smoothly. I knew I should have asked before I did all this, but I really wanted it to be a surprise. I will get it right next time. If I am still here after this conversation. Which is happening now.....Elbereth give me strength.
Ok, so sit on the bed and pet Niht. Good hound. Help give me courage for what I am about to do little friend. Ok, start with something simple. Helping more around the lodge. He wants me to make jerkins for everyone. OK. I can do that. Should take a week or two. Ljota and Wood-Sculptor need some. He thinks I do as well, but he hasn't seen my armor. That is still at Mum's farm hidden away. He is so sweet and flirty. Oh! Courage Leo! You can do this! Talk about hounds. That lights him up! I could talk about hounds all day. Or listen to him talk about them. Oh! He wants to know what I wanted to talk to him about, besides helping out more and the hounds. Here we go! Deep breath. You can do it. Just open your mouth and say it. Go from there.
Look him in the eye. Say it plainly. Don't give him a chance to mistake your words or doubt your truth. Why does he think he is so old and that I wouldn't want him? How could I not? He has the biggest heart. He is wiry and handsome! Rugged and sweet! He has a quality about him that makes me want to know more about him. He thinks it is a prank!!! NO!!!!! NO no no no no no no no!!!! He is pulling my leg! Cheeky!!! He likes me!!! HE LIKES ME!!!!!! He is kissing me!!!!! He likes that I go after what I want!!!! Well get ready love! I want you and I am going after you. Oh! He is so perfect! Those arms, those hands! Those lips! So perfect! I am in paradise!!
Oh! What a beautiful day!!
