[h1]In The Woods
Elizabeth, Emiliano[/h1]

Emiliano enjoyed the forest, in spite of all its dangers. It was quiet and secluded, peaceful, a perfect natural training round and, most importantly right now, could be made quite romantic. Currently he was hiking up a steep hill with Elizabeth behind him, intending to take her to what may very well be the most beautiful place in the forest. It was a tough hike, but they were hunters, so it was just good exercise. He called back to her, [color=ed145b]"I hope you're enjoying our hike! We can train more seriously once we get to where we are going."[/color]

[color=ff00ff]"It better be the most beautiful place in the world! We could've just gone to the clearing past town, but no, you wanted to make it difficult."[/color] Elizabeth was jesting, because she was used to difficult hikes like these ones. She had changed into a simple outfit of a peasant blouse tucked into some trousers. It was what she normally wore for training, because her armor was too much for sparring, but a dress was far too difficult. [color=ff00ff]"What's this place called? Is it just your secret hideout?"[/color]

Emiliano laughed, knowing she was only joking about it being particularly difficult, [color=ed145b]"Well you know what they say, the best things in the world are hard to get."[/color], he laughed loudly as he began jogging up the steep hill, challenging her to keep up. [color=ed145b]"I like to call the grand wood, and I think you'll see why shortly! And it may just be the most beautiful place you've ever seen!"[/color], as he said that they came over the crest, entering the hidden beauty. Great trees made a perfect nearly unbroken circle around the well lit clearing. In the center a truly massive stump could be seen, covered in glowing green moss and incandescent mushrooms. the light shone on it, letting it glow and shimmer. Emiliano paused panting, and gestured to the place, [color=ed145b]"Well? What do you think?"[/color]

Elizabeth came up the hill, she rubbed her sides, and wiped the sweat off of her forehead. With a pant, she looked around the clearing, and her jaw dropped. It was beautiful, she could stay here forever [i]if only things were that simple[/i]. Forgetting how tired she was, she ran straight towards the center of the clearing, aiming for the giant stump. [color=ff00ff]"How did you find this place Emiliano? It's magical! I'm surprised it isn't swarming with witches."[/color] She chuckled and turned back, waiting for him to come over. 

He smiled widely as he walked after her to the stump, laughing, [color=ed145b]"I found it out hunting when I got lost one day. I thought it was beautiful, so I planted a bunch of Lavender around the edges, hence no witches. Well, that and some wolfsbane for other creatures."[/color], he smiled leaning on the stump, [color=ed145b]"You like it huh? Well, we've got quite a long time if you want to train, or learn italian or whatever... as far as I know we have all day."[/color], he smiled somewhat mischievously.

Elizabeth caught wind of his mischievous smile, and she shook her head. [color=ff00ff]"Let's start with a lesson or two, just to cool down a bit. Then we'll move on to training, and who knows what you'll think of next."[/color] She gave the stump a look, and wondered if there was a civilized way of getting on to it. [color=ff00ff]"Okay, how do we get up there? Or is it just for looks?"[/color] She tugged on the sleeve of her shirt, and examined the stump a bit more thoroughly. 

Emiliano smirked and looked up the stump, [color=ed145b]"Oh yea, we can get up there, but unless you want another harsh climb,"[/color], he bent down and cupped his hands, [color=ed145b]"You're gonna need help. And then you can help me."[/color], he smiled, ready to hold her up so she could climb onto the top of the massive stump.

Elizabeth shrugged, and put her foot into his cupped hands, when he hoisted her up she grabbed on to the nearest hand hold and pulled herself up over the top of the stump. Despite what she would have thought, it was quite a nice place to rest. The moss that covered it was soft and despite it's moisture she wasn't worried about getting wet. She leaned over the edge and held a hand down for Emiliano, waiting patiently until he grabbed it. [color=ff00ff]"It's nice up here, we won't feel sore if we rest on the moss."[/color]

Emiliano nodded as he was pulled up, [color=ed145b]"That's why I come here often. A great place to relax and rest, it's almost like a bed with all the moss."[/color], he chuckled, sitting on the squishy and soft plant matter. He sighed, and beckoned her to sit next to him, [color=ed145b]"So if I am gonna learn French and you Italian, how and where should we start?"[/color], he pulled out the food he had brought and set it out, biscuits and butter, some sandwich bread and an assortment of meats and condiments, beckoning her to sit and eat. [color=ed145b]"Hard to learn on an empty stomach no?"[/color]

[color=ff00ff]"I agree entirely. My tutor would get the chefs to-eh never mind, that's not important. So I want you to teach me first, and as far as where to start, how about the note you made me? A full translation would be nice, and then I could learn how to write it or something."[/color] She winked at him and laid down on her side, the moss beneath her felt cool to the touch, and she sighed in ecstasy. [color=ff00ff]"Or whatever you want to do."[/color] She grabbed a biscuit, and popped it into her mouth. Digging into a knapsack she had been carrying, she pulled out some fruit; apples, peaches, and pears to be exact. She offered them up to Emiliano, and fiddled with her braid.

Emiliano smiled and grabbed a beach, taking a bite out of it and letting out a satisfied sound of delight, before swallowing and addressing Elizabeth, [color=ed145b]"Alright, let's start with that. Get it out."[/color], he pointed at the first word, [color=ed145b]"Pronounced, mia. It means my, say it after me."[/color], as she did so he smiled, her pronunciation was quite good, [color=ed145b]"good good, alright, next word is cara, now what do you think that means?"[/color], he took a biscuit himself, buttering it and popping it into his mouth, waiting for Elizabeth to guess the word.

Elizabeth looked at him with an eyebrow raised, she hadn't expected him to comply. [color=ff00ff]"You're actually going to tell me what it all means? This is going to be way easier than I thought it would be."[/color] She looked at the words before her, apparently mia meant 'my', she kept that in mind. "Okay, cara. Do you know the word in French?"[/color]

Emiliano tapped his chin before shaking his head, [color=ed145b]"No clue, wait... I think... it may be... cher? I'm not sure... they both start with c though."[/color], he shrugged and buttered a second biscuit taking a small bite out of it. [color=ed145b]"And I'm not going to translate the whole thing Elizabeth, just a few words, to leave you wanting to learn more!"[/color], he chuckled at his teasing of what the message said.

Elizabeth glared at him when he said he wouldn't translate the whole thing, but she figured it was fair. When he said the word cara meant cher in French, lights went off in her head. [color=ff00ff]"Oh that's too easy, it means lovely. So far the note says 'my lovely', and then it's my name. So 'my lovely Elizabeth', you called me lovely? I have to know the rest now!"[/color] She sat up on the moss and crossed her arms. [color=ff00ff]"What does it say?"[/color]

Emiliano chuckled as she stood up and crossed her arms, wanting to know the rest, [color=ed145b]"If I just told you where would the fun in that be? And besides... you don't really want to know what it says..."[/color], he chuckled at how he was teasing her, [color=ed145b]"Besides, how are you gonna force me to tell you miss Elizabeth?"[/color]

Elizabeth scowled, and squinted at him. She was sizing him up, to see how much effort she would have to use to get it out of him. Words wouldn't faze him, so she would have to take action. [color=ff00ff]"I want to know, and I will get it out of you."[/color] Without warning, she sprung, pouncing upon him to see if she could pin him down. 

Emiliano had not expected her to tackle him, he grunted lightly as she was suddenly on top of him, but he smiled and quickly rolled over, trying to pin her himself, [color=ed145b]"Ah so you think you could so easily pin the great Emiliano Sebastiano Parisi??!! You fool haha!"[/color], he jested as he tried to pin her like she had before.

Elizabeth tried to steady herself, but his weight was too much and she was pushed onto her back. She struggled, but only slightly. If they were in the middle of actual training, she would have punched him or done something to shift the balance. As for now though, it was only playful wrestling, and she accepted it. [color=ff00ff]"Oh no! I was such a fool to tackle [i]the[/i] Emiliano Parisi! Whatever shall I do?" She laughed, and threw a light punch at his cheek. "I can still get the upper hand! Tell me what the note says!"[/color]

As she punches him in the face lightly he smiles, [color=ed145b]"Ah! You have struck me! Laying the great Parisi low!"[/color], he fell back in mock pain and defeat laughing before she asked the question. [color=ed145b]"So, want to know that badly? Fine... ask me one more time and I will tell you what it says, if your so [i]certain[/i] you really must know it."[/color], he chuckled at her, he was now on his back.

She stroked her chin as she sat on top of him, she wanted to know what it meant, but if she found out right now there would be no more lessons like this. She didn't want that, definitely not. So, with a sigh she shook her head and leaned down. [color=ff00ff]"You have won this battle, but you won't be so lucky next time."[/color] She started to get up from him, and brushed her hair out of her face as she did. 

Emiliano didn't want her to get off of him. As her hair fell Emiliano grabbed her arm, gently but firmly, urging her not to pull away. For a moment he simply sat like this, staring into her beautiful face, before exhaling sharply, [color=ed145b]"I'm sorry about this."[/color], and brought his lips up to meet hers. He kissed her deeply, for a good few seconds before he pulled away, leaning back and staring up at Elizabeth, waiting for her reaction.

As she was moving to stand up, Emiliano grabbed her arm and gently pulled her back onto his lap. Before the gears in her head could turn, she found herself in a deep kiss. It was exhilarating, she hadn't felt that rush in a long time. When he pulled away, her body lost some of the warmth he had given her, and she realized how much she craved it. After a moment of looking into his eyes, she dived back in, kissing him passionately. She only came up for breath, until for some reason, she decided to make things awkward. [color=ff00ff]"Emiliano. What are we doing? What about training?"[/color]

EMiliano kissed her back as she dove back down onto him. As she pulled back and asked what they were doing he thought for a moment how to justify this as mildly productive, [color=ed145b]"Uhm... it is it's... teambuilding you know?"[/color], it was weak, but hopefully it was funny enough to get things going again as he bent up and captured her lips in another kiss, his tongue prodded at her lips for entrance

It was a pretty lame excuse, but Elizabeth nodded along with it. [color=ff00ff]"Team building, right."[/color] She muttered, just before his lips crashed against hers once again. His tongue prodded at her mouths entrance, and she opened it eagerly. She giggled against his lips, running her hands up and down his sides. She hadn't done something like this in a long long time, and she was happy about the excitement it brought.

Emiliano was loathe to ever break the kiss, but had to for air and to give Elizabeth room to move her hands along his sides, and he hers. His hands were unlacing her back as he answered between kisses and breaths, [color=ed145b]"Well, the way... I see it, if we... don't go as far as we can... then we won't be... nearly as trusting right?"[/color], he finished his statement and dove back into the kiss, undoing the back of Elizabeth's clothes and trying to pull down her bodice.

[color=ff00ff]"What are you doing Emiliano? Stop! Don't touch me like that!"[/color] Elizabeth's eyes went wide, and she pushed herself away from Emiliano. Reaching back she redid the back of her clothing, and wiped her mouth aggressively. [color=ff00ff]"Were you trying to...Emiliano why would you do that to me? I never agreed to that."[/color] She started to stuff the fruit she had brought back into her knapsack. She couldn't believe he had just tried to sleep with her. When the shock cleared away, she started to become more aggressive. Throwing pieces of fruit across the clearing. 

Emiliano were puzzled as she pushed away from him and began to re-do her clothing, had he fucked up? [color=ed145b]"I just... that wasn't where that was leading? I-I... I'm so sorry I just thought..."[/color], Emiliano cursed himself in his mind as he pushed himself up on his elbows dazed, [color=ed145b]"If... you didn't want to do that then why... why did you kiss back?"[/color], he was extremely confused to say the least... and internally kicking himself.

[color=ff00ff]"I thought it would just be kissing, that's all I thought would happen. I don't even know why I started to kiss you at all."[/color] Elizabeth held her head in her hands and groaned, she didn't want to argue with him. She just wanted to go home and take a nap for the rest of the day. If only things were that simple. [color=ff00ff]"Can we go? Or are you going to insist on arguing with me?"[/color]

Emiliano frowned at her answer, [color=ed145b]"That... is not an answer to my question Elizabeth. Even if you thought we were just going to kiss why do that at all?"[/color], he stood up as she held her head in her hands and asked if he would argue with her, [color=ed145b]"No, I'm not going to argue with you but we need to discuss this! It's important Elizabeth!"[/color]

[color=ff00ff]"It's not important! It was a mistake. Okay? A mistake. Can we move on with our lives?"[/color] Once Elizabeth was done packing, she went to the edge of the stump and started her retreat. She scaled down the stump, finding places to rest her foot lest she fall and seriously injure herself. With a grimace, she jumped the last few feet, and landed in a crouch to protect her legs. [color=ff00ff]"I don't know about you, but I think it's time we head home. I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused."[/color] She had to shout to make sure Emiliano heard her, but her voice was gentle. With that, she walked away, hoping she wouldn't have to face him on the way back.