Far from sobriety - [Rhiannon]

[Chørd]

The second the coins had crossed from his brother's hand into Matthew's palm, he'd already started making plans to visit the first tavern he could find and, as he put it when explaining his intentions to a friend in confidence, get "absolutely piss-faced". Drowning your sorrows in wine and ale was immature, he knew, particularly when his own problems were marginally smaller than most other peoples'. His family in particular told him that often enough that the words simply went in one ear and out the other. But Matthew didn't care. He was in no mood for an early night that night, nor any whores or any gambling, so alcohol was the next vice he could turn to for entertainment for the evening.

As soon as he'd stumbled out of the tavern door he was beginning to regret making that decision. His stomach felt as if it was being wrenched in all directions, and every so often his vision blurred and produced two images of everything. No matter of shaking his head - or smacking it, as he had tried at some point - would clear it, so he figured trying to make his way back to camp, to his tent, and his bed would be his best bet. That was if he could get back in one piece and without drawing attention to himself of course.

Once he reached the edge of the town he was at, and spotted the warm glow of campfires in the distance, he began to half stumble, half swagger down the road towards them. The closer he got the more he could make out tent-like figures, and horses, and he sighed in relief when he realised he was back at camp - though there seemed far fewer tents here than he remembered. Barely any, in fact, but then his mind often messed him around when he was drunk, so clearly he was imaging that half the tents were missing. They were there, he'd find them.

In the mean time though, he settled down against some form of wagon, resting his head back against the wheel and groaning loudly.
"That stuff is lethal," he said to no one in particular, his words slurred, though he grinned idiotically when he spotted a tabby cat across from him. He held up the bottle he'd somehow managed to carry back with him from the tavern he'd been at, stared at it in bewilderment, then held it out to the cat. "Knocks y'r kitty socks off. Try it." He felt a wave of nausea wash over him again, and suddenly the cat had a twin, before he blinked, leant his head back against the wheel and the cats became one again.

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon decided she had better go and search for her lost cat. She had been gone for over an hour and that was unlike her. She couldn't have gone too far, Annie had kept an eye on her cat for most of the evening so she walked in the directions she had seen her go.

Rhiannon heard a slurred voice and stopped in her tracks. She was a shy woman and since she was a loner, people were bound to think crazy things about her. She was about as gentle as they come, though, so no one needed to fear her in any way.

She peeked around the wagon and saw her cat and a man 'handing' a bottle of....something to her. The tabby hissed and bounded over to Rhiannon as she stepped in front of the obviously drunk man. He was speaking to no one in particular, just out loud and rubbish.

"Erm... sir, do you need something?" She asked carefully, not really sure what to expect. Annie was sure to keep a comfortable distance from him.

[Chørd]

Matthew attempted to hiss back at the cat as it bared its teeth, arched its back and sprinted away from him, clearly uninterested in his offered alcohol. He'd lost all recollection of what alcohol he'd been drinking. It had started off as ale, he thought, as he'd shed his red coat and decided to blend in with the other drunken crowds, but as the evening had gone on he must have gotten through a bottle of wine to himself, so perhaps this was brandy or port. Whatever it was, it was strong. He may have been drunk, but he was just sober enough to know he likely smelled of the alcohol in his hand. Ah well. Such was life.

He blinked in confusion as a woman stepped out in front of him, wondering if his mind was playing tricks on him as he studied her. She wasn't bad looking at all. Perhaps his luck hadn't run out just yet after all, if some lonely woman had happened upon him.

Matt completely disregarded her question for him, though he hadn't fully heard and comprehended it in the first place, and instead tried to stand. First he tried shuffling backwards and backing himself up the side of the wheel to his feet, but his legs gave way and he ended up sat back down again, spilling some of the alcohol in the bottle as he did so. Then he tried crawling forwards and staggering upwards. That was a little more successful, but even then he swayed backwards, hit his head, then stumbled forwards and fell into the woman.
"I'm not...norm'lly like this, m'lady," he grinned at her, his words barely understandable, before he looked around in surprise. "I think that cat hates me. Don't blame 'im. Ev'ryone does. It's why you drink isn't it? 'Cause nob'dy likes yuh?" His clipped accent was more slurred and common with alcohol in the mix, but it was obvious he was British, and the fact his clothes were so finely tailored also probably gave it away he was both British and rich. Even so, with the current state of him, he'd probably fit in better with street beggars and gutter rats than he would his normal company of British officers and gentlemen.

[Rhiannon ☽]

As her cat bound back over to her, Annie studied the drunken man whom had wandered onto her property. Not that she minded, anyone was welcome here at anytime of day or night. She took quite a bit of sympathy on this one, he looked rather pathetic.

He spoke to her, not really answering her initial question, and she detected an English accent. Plus, from the looks of his clothing, he was a high class man, indeed. Rhiannon hadn't ever been too wealthy. Her own dress at the moment was a navy colored one. It really defined her curves, but made it very easy to see how thin she was. It's not like Rhiannon ate too often, she lived all alone and rarely ever had the need to go into town. Instead, she just mainly ate what she grew in her garden, rarely ever getting any meat. The top was a bit small for her, but she didn't ever have the money to buy any new ones. Her long hair was tied back in a French braid.

Suddenly, the stranger tried to stand up on his own. He toppled back and forth a few times before finally falling into Rhiannon. She let out a little gasp of surprise; it wasn't everyday a drunk man fell on you. Annie was in no sense of the word muscular or physically strong. Standing a mere five foot one and weighing no more than a hundred pounds, this man was much larger than she, thus making it difficult for her to hold him.

"Ohh...this is silly, let's get you inside," she said sympathetically. Doing what she could, Annie tried to help him walk the short distance to her home. "I am sure not everyone dislikes you..."

[Chørd]

He rested his head on her shoulder when she offered to help him get inside, half-supporting his weight as they walked. At some point he must have lost a shoe, as Matthew could feel the blades of grass brushing against the underside of his foot - albeit through the material of his stocking. He frowned at that thought. Shirts and stockings were easy to replace, as were hats and gloves. But shoes, and specifically single ones, were awkward.

His thoughts on his feet for a moment, he almost missed her second comment, and he twisted his head to stare down at her increduously for a moment while his mind tried to piece together what was going on.
"Yes they do," he retorted hotly. "You don't know me, so how would y'know?" He paused for a moment, took a deep breath as if he was struggling for air, then continued. "An' yer a girl. Girl's don't know anything 'bout anyone. So don't say that. Okay?"
He wrinkled his nose in disgust then. "Besides, why else would I be drinkin' alone?"

Then Matthew remembered he'd failed to offer her a drink so, with the innocent intention of being polite and courteous, he held up the alcohol bottle in front of her face. He took a while to gather himself before speaking, his words a little more understandable now he was managing to stop slurring them so much. "Forgot to ask if you wanted some. It's good. Makes your cares go far, far away. S'like magic, only it isn't evil. But my brother says otherwise." He grinned toothily aside at the girl, felt his stomach flip again, and turned away to retch, although nothing came up. Having gotten over the bout of nausea he straightened up again and frowned across at the stranger at his side. "He's a prick. What's your name?"

[Rhiannon ☽]

Annie arched her eye brow at the man, whom she had half a mind to drop. Girls did know things, just not the same things men did. She replied in her normal, soft tone,

"What are the odds that everyone in this world does not like you, hm?"

Rhiannon knew she could add on a smart alack comment but chose not too. Clearly he was in an oblivious state of mind at the current time. In her opinion, yes, men did take charge in most situations, but could be the most dim witted creatures in the world. At least women didn't always have pride to swallow.

He shoved the glass bottle in her face, offering her some of it to drink. Annie made a scrunched up face, it smelled horrid. She blinked her eyes a few times and refrained from gagging. Smiling shortly, she gently pushed it down out from under her nose.

"Perhaps later," she said, opening the door to her little wooden residence. It was cozy, Annie enjoyed it even if it was small. Besides, she was the only person living in it. "...magic isn't evil. Not all of it," she added on, helping him to a chair inside.

As she assisted him in sitting without falling over, she answered,

"My name is Rhiannon, who are you?"

[Chørd]

His brows pulled together in thought at her retort, before his frown deepened into a scowl and he glared at her. His mind was not in a fit state to think up some clever, witty answer, so he simply said: "Slim. But not everyone in the world knows me - if they did, they would hate me." Satisfied that was a cocky and smart enough answer he gave a firm, or as firm as he could manage, nod to cement his reply.

As his drink was rejected, Matthew grinned instead of frowning, pleased she hadn't wanted to share his alcohol after all. More for him. He lifted the bottle to his lips and took a long drag of the beverage, exhaling with a loud 'ah!' when he was finished.
"There won't be any left later," he sniffed imperiously then, as if to prove the reasoning behind his point, took another long drink from the bottle.

The girl led him into a small, homely wooden building, and immediately Matthew felt woozy from the warmth inside, and had to stop to steady himself and swallow down any bile that had been threatening to creep up his throat.
"Nice," was all he had to say about the residence, gladly taking the opportunity to settle down on the chair offered to him. He raised an eyebrow at her when she claimed that magic wasn't evil, snorted, then had another drink. "And what would you know about magic? You a witch, huh?" He pointed his bottle at her accusingly. "The only magic I have a need for is the sort that comes in bottles. S'called alcohol. Heard of it?"

He eyed her up scrutinously then, deciding he could answer that question about her himself, shook his head and leant back into the chair, closing his eyes. "No you haven't. Probably a virgin in all matters, heh? Ain't lied with a man, ain't drank with a man, ain't gambled with a man. Your father must be proud. I know mine would be."

He opened one eye when she gave him her name, then shuffled to get more comfortable before replying, "Matthew."

[/size]

[Rhiannon ☽]

Annie really didn't 'hate' anyone or anything. She was far too gentle for that. Besides, it was such a strong word, and people over used it way too often. She sighed and said,

"Hate is a strong word. I for one don't hate you."

Sure she thought he had a few loose screws and could lay off the stuff in that bottle, but hate certainly didn't describe her impression of Matthew. Rhiannon remained standing, not completely comfortable with his presence in her home to sit down and relax quite yet. She knew inviting strangers into her home like that would probably get her into a bad situation sooner or later, but she just hated seeing people in need and not doing anything about it.

Rhiannon took a breath as he asked the million dollar question. Was she a witch? Yes she was. And a very misunderstood one at that. All of them were. Witches, most of them, were really just healers that believed in deities and gods/goddesses and worshiped the natural world. Not a single witch Annie had ever met was dark or dangerous. It got lonely, actually.

"Well, yes," she answered, glancing away. She didn't even know if he'd recall any of this in the morning. Giving a little huff and the thoughts she was sure were running through his mind and reassured him hotly, "I am not going to hex you or anything..."

She couldn't even if she wanted to. There really was no such thing as 'magic' in that sense of the word. She could probably use her identity to her advantage to keep Matthew in line, for example telling him if he tried anything she'd put some spell on him. For all others knew, they figured that's what she spent all day doing: cooking up brews and putting spells on innocent people. Neither of which Annie did herself. She scoffed as he said the only magic he'd need was in that brown bottle. This character needed a mental cleansing or something, not more alcohol.

Now he was pushing his luck with her temperament. He was getting personal and that made her uncomfortable. Rhiannon had in fact, once, lied with a man. As for gambling or drinking, she hadn't before. And from the looks of Matthew, she had better avoid it. She crossed her arms and turned a slight shade of pink.

"Not exactly in all those aspects, Matthew..."

[Chørd]

Matthew smirked when she said she didn't hate him. Why should she hate him? He'd done nothing to her except, perhaps, show up on her property drunk and unable to remove himself. That was assuming this was her property in the first place.

"Well that's one person I can miss counting then," he sneered, holding up his hands and folding down a finger on one of them. "That makes me feel so much better. You're too kind."

He'd meant the witch question in jest, but she seemed to be taking him seriously - moreover, she seemed anxious about her answer, which she took some time in giving. When she said 'yes' and declared she wasn't about to place some spell upon him he raised an eyebrow at her and took another swig of his drink, never once taking his eyes off of her. Finally he set his bottle down on the floor with deliberate slowness, resting his hands behind his head as he leaned back in the chair.
"We used to burn witches. Tie them to a post and set them on fire. Nasty little wenches they were - I bet they screamed a fair bit too," he glanced at her then, a smile slowly creeping across his face. "I wonder if we're still allowed to do that?"
She was probably only saying it to wind him up, because he was in-drink. Wanted to scare him sober that was all. Well it wouldn't work. He didn't believe her, and never would, and if she was telling the truth he wouldn't be about to keep his mouth shut about it either, and he doubted she'd tell him anyway.

As Rhiannon crossed her arms and blushed, then corrected him, Matthew did a double take, then leaned towards her with his eyes narrowed sceptically. Then, he smiled at her lop-sidedly, taking her reply as an invitation for him to start guessing what, exactly, she was not such a virgin in.
"Ok then. You've drank alcohol before," he guessed, pointing a finger at her accusingly. "Probably wine. Or ale. Ale's probably more something you can afford."

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon didn't know if he meant his comment about her making him feel better sarcastically or seriously. More likely it was the first one, so she brushed his comment off with the quick rolling of her brown eyes. He was right though, Annie was far too kind for her own good. She wouldn't be in situations like so if she weren't.

She shifted her weight from leg to leg uncomfortably when he mentioned how he had burned witches, her own kind, at the stake. She swallowed and didn't meet his eye, that was sickening how they treated people like her as if they were truly harmful. Hell, they didn't even treat them like people in the first place, most of the time. Annie sighed shakily and meekly walked a little further from Matthew. She was sure he wouldn't try to hurt her. And if he did, she would be able to get away just because she was in a clear state of mind and not off her rocker.

"We're people just like you, you know," Rhiannon said, feeling a need to defend her way of life. "Besides, what did witches ever do to you? A witch is offering her hospitality to you right now, don't you know," she pointed out, arching her brows. "That's a sick mentality you've got there," she muttered under her breath as she turned away to busy herself with something other than getting upset with him.

As she turned away, Matthew snickered and took her comment as an invite to guess at things she wasn't a virgin at. Sex was probably going to be his last guess, considering she was living alone on the outside of a town. Still having her back to him, Annie replied as she aimlessly thumbed through her cabinets of herbs and goods.

"I have not," she said shortly. Rhiannon figured he'd just forget all of this sooner or later and she'd never see him again so why not play along with his game? "From the looks of you, I had better not," she added, eying him from over her shoulder.

[Chørd]

Matthew couldn't help but laugh at her comment about how witches were just the same as other people. Perhaps they were, curses and devil-worshipping aside. That wasn't his problem, and right now he couldn't really give a rat's arse about the matter.

"I never said I burned witches," he said in his defence when she started firing remarks at him. All this stuff about how witches hadn't harmed him, that one was helping him out right now, that he was sick. He raised his eyebrows at her, clearly bored by her little rant, and smirked as she turned away from him and tried to busy herself with something other than talking to him. "I meant 'we' collectively for...for..." he hesitated, trying to work out who, exactly, he was referring to. Western men? "Y'know," he waved a hand dismissively when he couldn't think of the right thing to say. "I was never involved in that stuff. It happened long before I was born."

Even if he had been alive when the witch trials were in their prime, he doubted he'd have gotten involved with them. Public executions were not exactly pleasant, and where possible he avoided watching hangings. So he certainly had better things to do than stand around and watch women burn at the stake or be tied up in sacks and thrown into a river. Personally he'd much rather have a girl in his bed than watch her being set on fire, but he supposed it was probably best not to say that to this Rhiannon woman.

Matthew narrowed his eyes when she said she hadn't had alcohol before, pouting a little when she shot a look at him over her shoulder. He pulled a face at her then slumped back in the chair. "Fine then. If you haven't drunk, you must have gambled. And you probably cheated, given that you're a witch." He paused then to shoot her a sly glance, smirking a little. "That's if you are, indeed, a witch. You could just be saying it because I'm not sober, and you think it'd be funny to play a trick on me. Well, I don't believe you." He sniffed imperiously when he was done with speaking, and closed his eyes, his head starting to throb from all the alcohol he'd drunk in such a small space of time.

[/size]

[Rhiannon ☽]

She nearly rolled her eyes again for the second time that evening. This man was no better than an unruly child when he was in this state! Rhiannon loved children, no doubt. Heck she even wanted a couple of her own someday, but Matthew was just being ridiculous. She didn't appreciate the way he laughed at her very true and valid statement; people were people and that was that.

Even though it had happened long ago, Rhiannon was still very aware of the way "normal" people looked and saw women like herself. She didn't worship the devil and wasn't involved in anything dark either. Annie was probably gentler and sweeter than most other people in the world, actually.

"Even if it did happen before either one of us were alive, people still think woman like myself are just nasty," she said, turning back around to face him.

She let out a soft laugh when he accused her of cheating on gambling. There was one main reason she couldn't have cheated, that being she hadn't gambled. She arched her brows and shook her head,

"That's not it either," Annie replied lightly. "Even if I had...gambled, I wouldn't have cheated. I am an honest lady, mind you."

Annie knew she was honest, in the sense that she didn't lie, but when it came to being blunt, she fell apart. She hated saying things that could probably cause a bit of friction between her and other people. She scoffed when he said he didn't believe her status as a witch.

"Oh Matthew, please. I am not so immature to pull a trick like that," she said, waving her hands. "But I am, indeed, a witch whether you believe me or not. I don't exactly know how to prove it to you..."

[Chørd]

He plastered a grin on his face when Rhiannon turned back around to face him with some comment about women like her being 'nasty'. "Well if you didn't deal with the devil, people wouldn't think that, would they?" Matthew grinned as sweetly as he could at her. Whatever she said or did, it wouldn't change his mind. If witches even did exist - which he doubted they did - then they certainly wouldn't be the friendly sort. No one with the sort of power they supposedly possessed would simply sit back and choose not to use their powers to their own advantage - and if they did, they were stupid.

He smirked at her reply to his accusation of cheating whilst gambling. "Well that's probably why you've never gambled then. You should be prepared to cheat when playing, just in case." He held up his hands in mock surrender. "Not that I've ever cheated, of course."
He flashed her a smile, but the expression quickly faded to a frown as he eyed her up suspiciously. He stared at her like that for a while before pulling back away from her and blowing a strand of hair out of his face. "And here I thought I was in the presence of a maiden. That's unfortunate," he sighed, then glanced across at her. "Not to cause offence, girl, but you don't look the sort to have...well..." He made a gesture with his hand and left it at that, picking up his alcohol again and near-enough finishing the bottle. He inhaled sharply from the bitterness of it then held out the bottle for her to take. "I count it as my duty, then, to introduce you to the world of alcohol. Have some. You won't get drunk on that little drop left."

He gritted his teeth as his head continued to pound, almost in profound protest at him having intoxicated his system, but tried not to let this witch-woman see it was bothering him.
"If you are a witch, then give me something to make this damned headache go away. A potion, spell. Damn water for all I care," he hissed irritably, trying to sound authoritative. "And be quick about it, unless you want me ill."

[/size]

[Rhiannon ☽]

“But I don’t deal with the devil,” she protested softly. Annie would be such a darker lady, spiritually if she did. Why people couldn’t just take time to get to know others instead of alienating them based off of the rumors they hear was beyond her. Rhiannon knew she was guilty of judging too, so was everyone else. Matthew’s sweet, yet sarcastic grin nearly sent her into a fit of giggles. The corners of her lips twitched a bit, he looked simply ridiculous.

Gambling. Of all things to spend your time on, why gambling? It, in most cases, caused more trouble than good and to a reasonable woman like Rhiannon; you don’t tinker with things when the odds were against you. Which was ironic, considering her way of life could get her murdered.
She felt a little bit of regret for playing this guessing game with him as Matthew eyed her. It seemed to last quite a while, so her cheeks flushed red a little bit. She really wasn’t the kind to go to bed with anyone, but it was an unfortunate caught-in-the-moment act that Rhiannon regrets. She loved the man, no doubt, but the moment he found out her identity as a ‘witch’, he ran as far from her as possible.

“Oh, well I am sorry to disappoint you,” she said, half sarcastic, half serious. “I know, I am really not the type either. It isn’t as if I am proud of it, anyways.”

She hesitated in taking the bottle from Matthew. Annie had figured she needed to get that bottle from him before he harmed himself. Curious, she reached out and took the bottle from him. Not wanting to drink after him, she reached and grabbed a glass, pouring the last little bit into it. It smelled odd, her nose wrinkled as she drank the liquid. After, she gave a tiny cough and made a face.

“That is dreadful, why on earth would anyone drink that?” She said, washing the glass out and filling it with water to wash out the taste. Rhiannon, as she drank her own water, got another glass for complaining Matthew and handed it to him. She considered adding Chamomile to his water, it was an herb that helped with aches in the body, but he’d probably refuse to take it from her, thinking she’d be trying to kill him.

“You’re not ill already?” she asked dryly, returning that sarcastic, ‘sweet grin’ from a few minutes back.

[Chørd]

"Of course you don't," Matthew sniffed in response to her protest. If she didn't, she was hardly a witch - or a pretty poor one, if she was. She couldn't have it both ways. Still, he was going to argue with her on the subject. He was in no fit state to do so, and his wits were in such disarray he probably wouldn't have been able to formulate any decent points to put up against her.
He gave a shrug, dismissing the subject, and gave a small groan as his temples throbbed in pain.

He gave a long, drawn out sigh when she said she wasn't proud of no longer being a maid. That was unfortunate. He wasn't about to jump to conclusions on the circumstances her first time came under, but his mouth formed a firm line as he regarded her seriously.
"Well if it's any consolation, I was very proud to lose my virginity," he grinned at her then, shattering his stern look, and he turned in the chair to put his legs up over one arm, and dangled his upper body over the other, smirking up at her from his upside-down position. "I can assure you it was a wonderful night. Not sure which girl was my first, though. There was quite a few of them."
His eyes widened then, and his grin turned devilish. "Maybe that's why you're upset about your maidenhood! Did you forget who you lost it too?"

It was all right for a man to be promiscuous and sleep with so many women he couldn't remember all their names, or who went in what order, but for a girl to lead that sort of life? It was unheard of. And if such a girl did exist, she probably lived in shame, or in prostitution. Either or. Not that Matthew really cared. If a girl was willing, he couldn't give a damn about who'd she'd been with before, so long as she was disease-free.

He laughed at her reaction to the alcohol, but quickly stopped with a sharp 'ooh' as his head rang furiously.
"Because it makes your problems go away. For a bit," he answered her question blandly. "And some alcohol tastes very good. Like port. Port is excellent."
He sat up as she filled a glass with water and handed it to him, and he downed it quickly with a grimace. He swallowed down a bit of bile and gave a shudder, glancing at Rhiannon with a look of self-pity plastered on his face.
"Don't mock me," he whined as she grinned at him. "I am ill. But trust me, I'll feel worse soon enough. Tomorrow morning will be a laugh for sure."
He would have chuckled if his head wasn't pounding so much. Instead he curled up in the chair with another pitiful moan, clutching at his head. "I'll probably be woken up early too. By my brother, no less, and I'll have to face a lecture from him on drunkenness in the aftermath of my insobriety."

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[Rhiannon ☽]

Annie huffed. Maybe witch wasn't the proper term to use to describe herself to Matthew. Wicca was a more appropriate word, she thought. Either way, she'd still be considered a witch by most other people just because she wasn't a woman of God. She had no problems with other belief systems, she just wished not to live her life like that.

"Perhaps witch isn't the appropriate term," she said. "Wicca is better suited, I think."

Rhiannon couldn't help but blush and stare at him wide eyed when he gave her a bit of insight on his loss of virginity. She had to look away after a while since it was just so...vulgar. Annie wasn't used to talking about such topics so it felt awkward for her. Multiple women? That was sick minded. She held up a hand, motioning for him to stop. She didn't want any more details, half hoping he'd fall on his head due to the position he was in and just pass out until morning.

"Oh..." was all she could muster out after hearing that. She crossed her arms after he asked if she recalled the man she had lost her virginity to. Of course she did, and she was no where near close to forgetting either.

"Of course I remember who it was," she said in a slightly aggravated tone. Rhiannon was normally pretty sweet but this guy was just irritating her. Then again she hadn't dealt with many drunken people before. "It was just an in-the-moment...thing."

She made a face as he explained to her why he drank this. He sure had a ton of problems if he was willing to drink this to make them go away for just a bit. Annie didn't make any comments about alcohol since she really didn't have a clue on anything about it. Port, what was that?

Rhiannon let out a tiny laugh as he complained about her mocking him. "Would you trust me enough to let me give you something for that headache? Or are you going to be a child and accuse me of trying to kill you?" The thought had crossed her mind, frankly.

"And perhaps you should listen to these lectures your brother gives you, they just may bring about a few points you could benefit from..."

[Chørd]

"Witch, wicca, same thing. I couldn't really care to be honest," he smiled at her politely enough, even if his words were a little blunt. Really, he was sure he'd forget all this by the morning. He didn't have a good memory to start with; add alcohol to the mix and he was rarely able to recollect what he got up to whilst he was in-drink.

He giggled like a child when she held up a hand for him to stop informing her about his sexual encounter, her cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. "Don't you want to hear what happened?" He put on his best surprised face, but his drunken state made the expression looked more like suspicion than anything. "It's a very interesting story, I think you'll find. You see, I was seventeen, and these three doxies...well! I wasn't quite sure what to do with myself! Which one first? The blonde or one of the two brunettes? Or all three at once?" He paused to give her a grin from his upside-down position, considering continuing, then settled to just wiggle his eyebrows and add: "Decisions, decisions. Too many for such an inexperienced young man to make. Not that I'm complaining."


As she responded to his teasing in a slightly snappy tone he jumped a little, scowling. He opened his mouth to speak, felt ill, and shut it again, waiting a few seconds for the nausea to pass before he smiled and finally answered: "Spur of the moment? I like it."

He was aware he was talking far too openly and crudely to a stranger, but what did decorum matter when you were drunk? He'd be on his way again as soon as he could walk straight and go ten minutes without being sick, and she'd forget about him, and he her. If he was rude, who cared? His brother wasn't around to scold him for it, so there was no real deterrent.

Matthew shot a pout in her direction when she offered to give him something for his headache, then suggested he might act like a child and accuse her of trying to kill him should she do so. "If it works, I don't care what you give me," he answered bluntly, looking repulsed as the thought of eating rat tails and newt eyes crossed his mind.

It was his turn to laugh when she proposed he should pay attention to his brother's lectures. "If I listened to everything he said, I'd be a nun by now." He grimaced then. "And you don't know my brother. It doesn't matter what I do, he complains. I could single-handedly win every battle in this damned war and he'd still find a fault to pick."

[/size]

[Rhiannon ☽]

Rhiannon continued to shake her head, blush and wave her hands in protest as he continued his story.

"I have no intention of finding out nor do I wish to know what you and they did..."

Annie trailed off as he went on, regardless, with his story. She wrinkled her nose, this was just sick. And at only seventeen? He had been just a kid at the time! Why, when she was seventeen she wouldn't have even dreamed about doing....that.

As he wiggled his brow and made some nasty comment, she said quietly, and still looking embarrassed,

"You're going to fall..."

Frankly, she had been trying to change the topic. It didn't work. Rhiannon now felt obliged to make him aware that it wasn't a fling. She rolled her eyes as he commented that he liked it. Sure it was in the moment, but it had been sweet and he was gentle about it. Not that she was fixing to say anything like that to Matthew, he'd probably just blow her off anyway.

"You like it?" She inquired meekly, arching her brow before turning to fix him something for his headache. "I don't see anything too intriguing about it..."

She finished up his remedy after a few minutes of throwing herbal and natural things into a brew, making the final result a kind of tea. She added sugar to sweeten it a bit and gave it to him.

"It's just a form of tea, don't fret..."

She almost felt bad for his brother. If he had to deal with Matthew like this often, she commended him for not wringing his neck. Annie couldn't even if she wanted too, the woman was very petite and had little physical strength.

"You do have a point," she agreed delicately. "I never liked people who were never satisfied with anything."

[Chørd]

Matthew's grin only grew larger at her reaction to his little tale, and was tempted to elaborate a little just to elicit more such responses from her, but eventually decided against it when she pointed out he was going to fall. Whether he was or he wasn't he still reached down with his hands to steady himself against the floor before he pushed himself upright again.

"Are you sure you're not still a maiden?" He shot her a sceptical look, partnered with a sly smile. "You're certainly blushing like one."

As the topic turned back to her he gave another little chuckle. "Well, what's intriguing is that you don't seem keen too elaborate on the details, which suggests there may be some interesting things you might not be telling."
He watched her with mild interest as she set to work making some sort of remedy for his headache, making sure to observe everything she put in the drink. He had no idea what any of the herbs going into tea were, but none of them looked poisonous or in any way suspicious.
He nodded when she gave it to him, stating it was just a form of tea, and took it gratefully, about to gulp it down before he gave a sheepish grin and blew on it to cool it a little.
"Do you often take in drunken men, then?" He gave her a small smirk before taking a sip and wrinkling his nose at the bitterness. "This better do me good for how awful it tastes."

Once it was cool enough he began drinking it back a bit quicker, glancing up at her as she agreed with him. Well, at least they had one thing in common.
"You'd hate my family, then," Matthew sniffed and set the empty cup aside and shuffling to get more comfortable in the seat. "All they ever do is complain. My father's the worst. If it wasn't for him and his hauteur I wouldn't even be here."

---

OOC: Lame post because I'm in a really crappy mood but I couldn't leave this any longer.

[Rhiannon ☽]

She gave him a look as she crossed her arms. Rhiannon, yes as unexpected as it was, was no longer a maiden. She surely acted like one, clearly, but she wasn't. In that field of life anyway.

"Yes," she said shortly, "I'm sure. I'd be the one to know, wouldn't I?"

Frankly, she didn't care if he wasn't going to believe her. She wasn't about to prove it to him in any kind of way. Rhiannon nearly curled her lip in disgust at the mere thought of that.

"No, I'm not keen on sharing a word." She said, shaking her head, then adding, "With the likes of you anyway..."

Annie watched him gulp down the tea as fast as he could. Sure, she had left out the fact it didn't taste too great but he was clearly not going to let that stop him. Hopefully he didn't throw it up all over her floor.

"Sorry, but it should help. It works for me and then others I've given it to often enough." Rhiannon thought a moment and asked, "Would you like a cool rag to put on your head?"

She chuckled softly and shortly, maybe the had found a bit of common ground, finally. Rhiannon looked at him and said,

"I'm sure it's frustrating to have family like that."

[It's fine, clearly mine sucks too xD]