As part of his plan to help Lillith grow stronger and get her more used to being out in the world, Romulus had begun planning little trips beyond the Hallowed lands to show Lil some of what she'd been missing out on all her life. He wanted her to experience the world, to see all the sights and smell all the scents and hear all the sounds. He wanted her to run and play and discover and learn and laugh. He wanted to include her in all his adventures and bring her along with him while he explored Auster and Boreas and rebuilt his family where they belonged. Today's adventure would be out to the shore. He didn't know if Lillith had ever been to the beach, gotten to feel the sand between her toes or the lap of the surf on her paws or the salty air in her face, but she was going to today!

Lillith had been sleeping in lately, so Roman was fine letting her get her beauty sleep while he did his morning patrol and exercises. Afterwards, he'd grabbed a couple pieces of dried venison and headed to Lil's room, pausing outside her door in the Adravendi wing to make sure her dad wasn't anywhere around before he quietly lifted the latch and slunk into her room. He thought about knocking to announce his entry, but when he saw her sleeping form on her bed, he knew he didn't have it in him to disturb her. Flinching a little when he realized he had almost woken her already, Roman very slowly and quietly closed the door behind him. He carried their breakfast over to her bed, setting the dried meats on the edge before coming up to rest his head right beside hers, watching her sleep for a moment with a small smile. She looked so peaceful, so perfect... like none of the ailments of the world could affect her. Part of him didn't want to bring her back into this world and would rather let her have her escape from reality, even if just for a moment.

Without saying a word, Romulus lifted his paws to the bed and slowly brought his muzzle towards hers, placing a very soft, tender kiss to the end of her snout. "Liiiilliiiiith..." he whispered to her in a sing-song tone and a grin on his face. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty! We've got an adventure today!"

"Speech"

She really meant to wake up and go on patrol with Roman that morning, she really wanted to breath the morning air and run along the border. When the morning came though the girl blinked open her eyes and fell back asleep. There was no waking up as she intended, her body demanded more rest and she was forced to succumb. The pale girl was snuggled in the blankets and furs of her bed, fast asleep and undisturbed as Romulus slipped into her room. She didn’t have any nightmares, she was in a deep dreamless sleep when he approached the bed.

Lillith was peaceful, her eyes were lightly closed and the tip of her tongue peeked from parted lips. Her breathing was steady, even, and strong. Sleepin in and getting extra rest helped her body prepare for the day Roman had in store for her, and the way he decided to wake her made a good day even better. The warmth of his lips against leathery nose brought her eyes fluttering open as he hummed her name and called her to wakefulness.

The silver marked girl took in a deep breath and began to stretch in her plush bed, slowly realizing where she was and what was happening. "Good morning,” Lil mumbled with a sleepy smile as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes and scooched closer to the edge of the bed so she could grasp at his own decorated paws. "Adventure?” She questioned as she stretched again, pressing her paws into his chest this time. Another yawn parted her jaws but sleep was quickly draining from her. A whole new day was ahead of them, and Roman promised Adventure.

"Speech"

Seeing how adorable Lillith was when she was asleep, her smaller body snuggled into a veritable nest of blankets and furs, the flash of pink of her tongue stuck out in a blep, it was almost too much for Romulus. He wanted to scoop her up and snuggle her close, she was so damn adorable! Watching his sleeping beauty rise from slumber brought a wider smile to his face, loving the way those ruby eyes seemed to sparkle when they opened and saw his face there. She certainly had a way of making a boy feel special when just waking up brought that sort of reaction from her.

"Good morning. Hope you had sweet dreams," he said back as she shook the grogginess from her brain with stretch and a yawn. He glanced down briefly at their paws when she rested her alabaster-dipped feet across his dark navy patterned ones, feeling warm tingles break out wherever she touched him. His silver-gilded eyes returned to hers only a second later, giving her an eager grin when she asked about the adventure while also not-so-subtly stretching her forelegs to press those dainty paws into his broad chest. He loved how physically affectionate she was with him, feeling lucky to be the wolf to bring that out in her. Again, special—she made him feel that way a lot. Leaning to the side slowly so as not to break her paws' contact with his chest, Roman grabbed a piece of dried meat and placed it in front of her.

"Yes, adventure! But first, how about a little breakfast in bed to help you wake up." He leaned closer to gently bump his nose against hers, giving her some time to eat while he detailed their day to her. "I thought we'd begin with a little light exercise, so I planned for a ten mile jog. After that, we'll climb to the top of the highest mountain in Boreas and carve our names in the stones at the top of the world. Then we'll find two—no, three grizzly bears and start a fight! Then we can go spelunking in all the caves until we find a ruby that shines as brightly as your eyes do. We'll end the day by dancing in the starlight on the Moontouched Cliffs until we watch the sun rise over the eastern sea."

As Romulus spoke, the grin on his face grew bigger and bigger, betraying his jest, watching to see the incredulity in her expression as he told her his plans for the day. Then, with a casual shrug of his shoulders, he added, "Or if we don't have time for all that, I thought maybe we could go spend the day down at the beach? I saw some training rings set up on the Shimmering Shore if you wanted to get some fighting lessons in, or we can find some coastal herbs together, or just spend the day playing and sunbathing and whatever other trouble we can get into." A sly expression came over Roman's face as he decided to tease his girl even further. "Or we could stay in here all day, hide away from everyone and just spend the day cuddling in bed. I bet your dad would hate that." He gave Lil a wink and a chuckle. Was he awful? Yes, yes he was, but if anything Lillith seemed to find that endearing about him, and it only encouraged the boy to be more and more himself around her.

"Speech"

Waking up to Roman’s smile was everything she wanted, his sweet features greeting him as she emerged from her dreams couldn’t be rivaled. Except perhaps if he was just as snuggled into the bed as she was, but that scenario was definitely getting ahead of herself. They were best friends, Romulus was afforded a lot of exceptions in her world. Including this natural comfort in his presence. Little touches with her paws and the close proximity was becoming commonplace. Roman greeted her again, offering a good morning as he roused her from slumber and offered his hope for sweet dreams. Lilith didn’t really remember them so they must have been good. Far better than the nightmare she had the first night he was in the Hallows.

Touching Roman with dainty little paws was not so difficult, maybe she would have struggled with a real hug or anything closer. This seemed near perfect though, she could feel the beating of his heart beneath her toes and the feeling rushed through her limbs and echoed in her own chest. Without relinquishing her touch Roman shifted so he could offer her a nibble of breakfast in bed with an unabashed bump of their noses.

Lilith blushed lightly and giggled softly at the affection and she tried to focus on the small meal he brought for her. She smiled shyly, her garnet gaze shifting from her nibble to Roman’s silvery gaze as he laid out their plans for the day. As his outlandish expectations grew more unbelievable her jaw opened in surprise, as she was trying to decide if he was serious, but the way his grin climbed up the corners of his lips her own amused grin grew.

She tried to finish the few bites she had left when he spoke about his real plans for the day with a shrug. Going down to the beach and training a bit in the rings. That sounded so much more plausible. After building up their day into impossibility, a nice day on the beach training seemed like a breeze. Before she could agree he offered a third option to her, cuddling together for the rest of the day. Lil’s cheeks flushed at the thought and even if Ulric would hate finding them like that she was quite tempted.

"Maybe we can save that as a treat after our training.” She returned with quite the mischievous grin on her own features. There was no way he knew about her secret desires that snuck into her mind while they were together and apart. Lilith struggled with physical affection and closeness, but he couldn’t understand how much she wanted to lay in bed with his arms around her. Maybe her feelings would change if the scene became reality, but for now she would enjoy her thoughts.

"As long as dad doesn’t find us,” another amused giggle fell from her lips after she finished her breakfast. She wasn’t quite ready to start moving yet, but restlessness was finding her. "I should get up if we want to conquer those mountains.” She returned with a shy grin.

"Speech"

Watching Lillith's expression of shock and disbelief grow as he laid out his lavish plans for the day made it so difficult to keep up the facade of seriousness and not burst into laughter straight away. Once the other shoe had dropped and she realized he was teasing her, then the laughter came out, the poor Adravendi girl actually seeming relieved to find out they were just spending a day on the beach instead of traversing the entire world. But where he had been teasing her with his offer to spend the day snuggling in bed just to make her cheeks light up with some more of that adorable blush, Lillith actually offered it to him in earnest as a treat when they came back. He blinked, taken aback by Lil's impish grin on her sweet face, but soon found himself grinning back in return. he had no idea what truly played inside the silvered girl's fantasies, but he didn't need to to know that grin meant fun.

Oh! All right, girl, I see where your mind's at... He would never have expected sweet little Lillith, who seemed to blush every time he winked at her, to be so rebellious. Roman quite liked it, actually! Staying inside the lines and following the rules all the time was so boring! He was glad to see some of Lil's feisty spirit come out like that. "Yeah, I'd really like to keep all of my limbs attached to my body," he agreed with a nod of his head and a husky chuckle. "Good thing these doors have locks on them then." He winked a silver eye at her and pushed the rest of her meal towards her so she could eat without distraction. "You finish eating, then we'll go see about mountains and dragons and whatever else I made up on the spot."

Still smiling like the happiest wolf in the world, Roman reluctantly slipped away from Lillith's touch to allow her to finish her breakfast while he stepped over to her balcony and pushed the door open, allowing some fresh autumn air to come into the room. The day was sunny and warm, and as Romulus stared out over the eastern fields surrounding the castle while waiting for Lillith to get ready, he began to imagine what lied just beyond his sight. There was a whole world his family used to travel and he couldn't wait to see it! But for today, he'd start with the beach.

"Speech"

Roman seemed a little surprised at her rebellious words, but Ulric was happy with what she was happy with. Lil was considering his own piece of mind, and wasn’t sure if she was ready to have him walk in on her cuddling her friend. Her heart fluttered at the thought, as it did when she thought of the relationship her father was worried would develop. "I’d keep you safe,” She promised with amusement but blinked in surprise at the thought of using her lock. Lillith had honestly never had to before. The thought was thrilling, she’d never really been rebellious. She loved and respected her father and knew he’d give her the world if he could. He’d bend the rules for her if she needed him to. Finding a boy to invite to her room…

Lillith blushed again as he winked at her and offered up the rest of breakfast before pulling away from the bed. She smiled as he turned towards the balcony doors before focusing on her meal. Sleeping in, a good breakfast, Roman’s voice waking her, this really was the most perfect start to a great day. She hadn’t missed his smile as he pulled away from her either, it was special because she knew it was a mirror of her own expression. She felt loved by her family, she knew there was nothing she couldn’t count on them for but Roman made her feel so different. In a good way.

Licking her lips Lillith found her feet and slipped out of the warmth of her lovely bed. She stretched again after she shook her silvery pelt. She didn’t need much to be ready to go, her goshawk was in the window, under orders to keep a close eye on her. She trusted the bird, enough to know she wouldn’t say more than was necessary to her father if he asked. "Mountains, caves, dragons and bears… Just the whole world.” She joked lightly as she pranced up to his side, looking bright and refreshed, very close to unhindered at all by her illness.

"Speech"

"I’d keep you safe.” Romulus believed her words whole-heartedly. Lillith might not have had the physical stature or strength to oppose the mighty Ulric, but he knew the silver dappled girl's fiery spirit would shield him from any threat turned his way by the Adravendi patriarch. He loved Lillith's spirit, her vigor, her determination. She treated every day like a gift where he sometimes found himself taking them for granted. A difference in their perspectives, he realized, but it was also what made her so uniquely her and balanced him out. His mind ran wild with rebellious thoughts encouraged by Lil's own boldness, picturing sneaking into her room at night, trying to imagine what her smile would look like in the moonlight streaming through her windows, how she'd feel snuggling up in his arms. He blinked a few times to force those thoughts back down into his head. The adolescent wolf was reaching maturity, only a few weeks away from his second birthday, and it showed in his rising hormones and persistent urges. He behaved himself though, more for Lillith's comfort than out of fear of Ulric's teeth—although they did help keep him cooled off just enough.

He heard Lillith slip out of bed and turned to regard her with shimmering eyes and a warm smile while she bounced up to him, looking far livelier by the day. Had he not seen her in a state of fragility already or known a bit about her history, he could easily have been fooled that she was a perfectly normal wolf. He gave her a crooked grin and a barking laugh. "Then let's go get you the whole world," he said and turned towards the door. He paused long enough to hold the door open for her, ever the gentleman, and then slipped out into the hall to walk alongside her down the foyer stairs and out across the courtyard. The warm sunlight felt good on his gray fur, and the flowers in the gardens were still in full bloom, soaking up as much sun as they could before winter arrived.

Romulus led the way out past the castle gates and down the well-worn dirt path that headed west towards the sea. The closer they got, the more the air smelled of sea salt and the louder the gentle lapping of waves became. "So what would you like to do today?" he asked as they walked down the sloping path and their paws hit the warm, golden sand, the soft ground shifting easily underfoot. "The training rings I saw are further up the beach if you feel like tussling with me a bit, or we can try to find some seaweed. It makes a great water-resistant bandage, we could stock up the infirmary with them." He meandered aimlessly across the sand towards the water with Lillith, watching the way the sunlight brought out the shimmering silver in her fur and practically made her sparkle. Whatever she wanted to do today he would be happy to participate in. He was just happy to be by the ocean and with her.

"Speech"

Lillith was quite a bit younger than Romulus, by almost a full half a year. That was enough to put quite the distance in their maturity not to mention how stunted she was from living in seclusion for so long. Her illness held her back further, and though she felt the flutters of her heart and thought about cuddling in her bed with him, that was as far as her young mind dared to explore. The thin girl joined him by the balcony and was given a bright grin, no one looked at her like Romulus did, his expression instantly putting a flutter in her belly as her heart skipped a beat. He promised her the world, and however light and playful they were being she couldn’t help but feel like he was serious.

Roman held the door for her as he led her out onto their grand adventure to conquer the world. She grinned at him and with a quick nod of thanks stepped through the threshold. They walked together down and out of the castle, easily finding their way down the path towards the ocean. They weren’t quite touching, and Lillith felt like they kept a comfortable distance the whole time. Of course, the terrain was rough, and she found herself with little jolts of surprise and electricity whenever his fur brushed against her own.

The silvery boy took the lead, but didn’t hesitate to seek out her opinion, offering a couple options for her to choose from. He brows knitted and she grinned with a smirk. "We should gather bandages first,” Lillith paused for her punchline. "You’ll need them when I kick your butt in a spar.” Lil warned him with a giggle and kick of her heels as she raced down the beach. This was where she belonged, ot in the fresh air with the sun on her back and the ocean in her gaze. She was carefree as she could get, no thoughts on the illness that crippled her, or the turmoil within the castle. This moment was just her and Roman in the sand.

"Speech"

When Lillith had suggested they gather seaweed for bandages first, Romulus had naturally assumed she was just being her typical pragmatic self. Lillith was the most rational and down-to-earth of the two, with Roman being the fantastical dreamer with whimsical ideas of adventure and carefree adventure every day. It turned out that wasn't the case this time, and he was taken by surprise when Lillith made a remark about him needing them after she kicks his butt in a fight. He watched the silver and snow girl run off down the beach with a giggle, her voice light and lyrical, the sound of true joy in her tones. His shocked expression quickly shifted into a wide grin and his eyes flashed playfully as the young Armada gave chase, running after her through the soft sands.

"We'll see about that!" he quipped back as his long, powerful legs took him closer and closer until he was running alongside the prancing girl, dancing around her while laughing at the sheer happiness she was experiencing. Out here, Lillith seemed content, happy, free. This—this was how she was supposed to be. Frolicking in the sun like a work of art given flesh and life, not caged and quarantined in the prison of her room to whittle away her days.

That was perhaps where he and Ulric fundamentally disagreed. He respected the Adravendi patriarch for doing what he could to keep Lil's health in check, but if it were him, Romulus knew he'd rather spend his days enjoying his life, even if it meant killing himself. An Armada wolf was never meant to be contained. He could see that same indomitable spirit in Lillith, shining bright in her garnet eyes as they sprinted down the beach like nothing could touch them. This was their world, and if Lillith desired it all, then Romulus would find a way to give it to her.

As they played and ran in the sand, Roman was too focused on Lil to watch where his paws were going. He took a turn too suddenly, the sand giving out beneath his feet and sending the startled wolf toppling over into a clumsy roll across the beach. He ended up face down in the sand, his steel-blue fur and face coated in the fine silt. Romulus lifted his head from the sand, sputtering to get the grainy substance out of his mouth, then peered up to spot a cluster of dark green fronds floating in the shallows of a nearby cove. "Found the seaweed!" he called from his prone position on the ground, completely oblivious to just how much of a mess he looked.

"Speech"

She was already running as surprised crossed Roman’s features, and she did catch his expression but just barely as she raced forward. She left him stunned and giggled all the more for it as she headed towards the beach. Romulus did protest slightly when he finally found his paws and hurried after her. Lillith didn’t quite get enough of a head start, and she wasn’t quite fast enough to stay ahead of Roman. She caught him from the corner of her eye as his massive silver frame ran parallel with her for a long moment, her prancing like gait almost fanciful as her paws danced through the sand.

In honesty Lil had mostly forgotten about their seaweed quest, she was having far too much fun running in the sand with her friend. It wasn’t really a race, there was no contest when it came to the difference between their gaites. Lillith was enjoying being alive, the fresh air and the ocean breeze, the sun caressing her silvery fur. Her grin had overwhelmed her full features and her garnet eyes sparkled with mirth. Lil was paying more attention to her footing than Roman was, but she did happen to be watching him when he tried to turn and misplaced his paws.

Roman went tumbling into the sand. Lillith’s expression changed swiftly to concern as she came sliding to a halt beside his disheveled form. She wasn’t sure she had ever seen him so unkempt. Sand was everywhere, along with long limbs strewn about. His words were quick to assuage any fear that he had injured himself, as he nonchalantly mentioned the seaweed only a few paces away. "Goodness, Roman. Are you hurt?” She asked with obvious concern, healing supplies forgotten as her delicate paw lifted to brush the sand from his shoulder.

"Speech"

Romulus glanced up into worried red eyes when Lillith came swiftly over to his side, looking him over and asking if he was injured. He gave a short, hard laugh and shook his head. It would take a lot more than that to hurt an Armada wolf! "It's fine, I'm all right," he replied, but then shot one of his devilish grins up at his friend. "But if I say yes, will you give me a kiss and make me feel better?" His tail beat the sand with an energetic wag as he snickered and rolled onto his back, helping to free his legs from underneath him with a stretch, and then rolling back to his paws.

Once he was up on his feet again, Roman gave a light shake of his body, rustling the stray sand loose from his fur. It didn't all come out, but at least now he no longer looked like a breadcrumbed canine. "The sand is actually a pretty soft landing. Probably why someone set up training areas out here." He gave Lil a casual smile, then glanced back to the cluster of seaweed floating lazily in the shoals. "Last one in the water is shark bait!" he declared, his youthful, playful nature shining through once more. Romulus was a carefree spirit through and through, and it showed as he went prancing into the lapping waves, splashing through the cool water and drenching himself in an instant. He was tall enough to be able to wade out quite a bit before the ocean lapped at his belly, splashing through the saltwater with large, exaggerated steps while he waited for Lillith to come join him for a swim.

"Speech"

Roman’s swift response in the form of an amused chuckle was all the answer she needed to her concern. Lilith heaved a soft sigh of relief, the way his body contorted there on the beach had her worried. His voice was swift to assure her, but she didn’t mish the devilish look in his eye as he continued. If he was hurt would she give him a kiss to feel better? Her ruby eyes widened in surprise as her cheeks flushed and she looked away bashfully. "Maybe I would,” her sweet voice admitted as she looked back towards him from under her silvery lashes.

Roman rolled his massive frame in the sand, shifting himself with one swift movement until he was back on his paws. Lillith backed away slightly so she wasn’t in his way, and carried her own goofy grin. He shook himself, mentioning how soft the landing was because of the sand, and she couldn’t argue, this was an excellent place to train. Lil tilted her head as he got that look in his eye. Before she could react he was challenging her to a race towards the water. His silver streaked form was suddenly racing towards the surf and with a flutter in her chest Lillith followed after.

Silver and ivory paws raced over the shimmering sand. There was no hesitation as she followed him into the ocean, soaking her pelt with the warm waters. The taste of salt lingered in her mouth as she grinned through the water after Roman, unable to go quite into the depths without lifting her feet from the sand. She swam up behind him, knowing she wasn’t hidden but reaching out anyway Lillith aimed to bite at his silver tail as it swayed through the water.

"Speech"

Lillith's bashful response about how she might kiss his wounds and make him feel better didn't go unnoticed by the young wolf very nearing adulthood. That little tidbit of interesting information was filed away for later use. So Lillith wasn't opposed to kisses now either, huh? Veeeery interesting... As he splashed his way through the water, Romulus turned to watch as the silver and snow blur of the Adravendi girl came barreling into the water after him in a spray of salt and sea. He smiled, then watched as she swam up behind him with this determined, wicked look on her face. A curious navy brow raised as she drew nearer, and it was only once she was upon him did he realize what the look was for. He felt her jaws latch onto his silver-furred tail, not nearly enough to hurt him, but definitely to feel her weight clamping onto his body.

"Aaaah! Oh no, shark attack!" he shouted out and began to barrel through the water again, using the buoyancy keeping Lil's weight afloat to drag her through the water by his tail. He alternated between laughing and mock screams of terror, beaming wide all the while she stayed on his tail. A daring gleam flashing through his eyes, Roman started pushing further out in the water until he was barely standing with the ocean's surface lapping at the base of his neck. Once he had Lillith out in the deeper part of the shoals, he took a deep breath and dove under the water, a sudden flick of his tail sliding it from between her jaws. Once he was free, he circled back around underneath Lil and then surged towards the surface, catching her across his back as he erupted into the air in a spray of saltwater.

He cheered triumphantly as he caught Lillith along his back, letting the smaller girl hold onto him and use him like a raft while he waded in the deeper parts of the shoals. His paws could still reach the sandy sea floor so he had no fear of drowning, but now she could relax and lounge across him while he floated her in the water, letting the warm ocean lap at her body. "Thought you might like to float around for a bit, enjoy some sun and sea water in your fur. I hear it's supposed to be very conditioning," he said with a wry smirk, as if Lillith's luxurious fur could get any better. He waded slowly around the water, letting the smaller girl just enjoy the sensations of floating on top of the water with his body supporting her so she'd never go under. "Have you ever been swimming in the ocean before, Lil?" he asked, wondering just how limited her life experiences were.

"Speech"

He didn’t even see it coming; it seemed like there was no way she could have missed wrapping her jaws around his white furred tail. She didn’t know what he had been expecting but he acted accordingly, proclaiming a shark attack. She paddled to keep her head above the turf, his seawater logged tail in her teeth as he suddenly started to pull her further out into the ocean. She could feel her pack paws hop, hop, and then there was nothing beneath her. Roman was making a show the entire time, and she wouldn’t have been surprised if someone on the wall of the castle heard him, but she was having a blast being towed along.

Suddenly though he flicked his tail out of her mouth and disappeared below the waves. Garnet gaze looked around her, uncertain where he would resurface, and not near as trusting in her skill as a swimmer to follow him beneath the waves. She was acting on instinct, she’d been in streams and rivers before but nothing like the ocean. Before the waves became too much to handle Roman reappeared, suddenly beneath her, lifting her body to the surface like a seahorse as her stead.

Her eyes grew wide, but she didn’t seek to get away from him, like he had been doing in her life Romulus lifted and supported her in the tumultuous sea. She grinned softly as he caught her gaze from over his shoulder. Just as he intended Lil lounged over his back, nestling perfectly there in the warm ocean water. He suggested the salt and the sun would condition her pelt, and she didn’t know if that were true or not but this felt so much better than laying in her bed all day. Roman’s strong form supporting her as the refreshing ocean water washed over her sunbathed pelt. She wasn’t sure there was any better medicine than this.

Her heart was a flutter in her chest but she was breathing deeply and clearly here with Roman. "I haven’t, just some rivers and a lake.” and they were all very brief. Of course most of her life had been a constant winter so it shouldn’t have come as that big of a surprise. "This isn’t your first time in the ocean though,” she tried to predict. She was maybe relaxing a little too much, if he kept her out here too long she’d want to nap instead of spar. Maybe that was his plan though, too worried she really was going to beat him.

"Speech"

Almost immediately, Romulus felt the wolf on his back relax and become dead weight while she lounged across him, feeling her slow and steady breathing against the nape of his neck. It brought a smile to his face, and every so often he would peer back at her over his shoulder to watch her as every burden seemed to melt away from her. She mentioned how she'd swum in rivers and a lake once, but never the ocean. He grinned wider, glad he was the one that got to show her this simple pleasure in life. "It's not," he said to confirm her assumption as they drifted lazily along with the waves, bobbing them gently in the surf. "My family grew up near the ocean. I don't know where it is in relation to here, or if it's even the same ocean, but when my family left Boreas, they settled down in some woods near the coast. My brothers and sisters, we grew up playing on the beach and in the shallows." He thought of his family, so far away, and wondered what they were all up to. Had his siblings set out on their own yet? Had they stayed with his parents and grandparents to rebuild the Armada family in their new home?

As they drifted along, Romulus began to slowly make his way back to the tide pools where he'd seen the seaweed before. He watched Lillith all the while, adoring the way her feminine features were accentuated by the ocean wetting her fur to cling to the curves of her body. Her face showed an expression of pure peace, and he knew instantly that he'd made a good call bringing her out here today. This was the kind of medicine she needed. Not being cooped up in a small, stuffy room with a single window to watch the world pass her by. She needed sunshine and fresh air and oceans and lakes and rivers and forests. She needed to live—actually live like the wolf she was! As they waded closer to the clusters of seaweed he'd seen before, Roman snatched up some thick strands in his jaws and began to carry them with Lillith back towards the shore. Gradually he made his way back onto the beach, his companion still across his back until they'd both emerged from the water like reborn deities, their fur dripping the cool water and clinging to their young bodies.

Roman carried Lillith like she weighed nothing up onto the dry, warm sand, then lay down so she could climb off of him more easily. He set the seaweed down to begin drying out while they would have their spar. Once Lillith was on her own paws again, Romulus stood up and shook out his drenched coat, the wet fur still clinging damply to his body while he smiled at her. With her fur pulled to her form, Lillith looked like an oceanic goddess given flesh, radiating a youthful beauty unparalleled by any wolf he'd ever seen before. He stared at her, transfixed, urges he'd only recently begun to discover growing within him until she looked his way again, and those garnet eyes snapped him out of his daze. "So, what'dya think about that spar?" he offered with a wink, stretching out his limber body on the sand. "Now that we've done a little swimming to loosen up our muscles, I think it's time we see just how badly you can beat me, sweetheart."

"Speech"

She didn’t realize it but she did relax easily against Roman’s form beneath the waves. Lilith relaxed, the tension left her muscles and the worries drifted from her head and heart. There wasn’t anything but the breeze, the water, and Roman with her. He affirmed her guess, he had grown up by the ocean, practically lived in the shallows as a young boy. She could see his thoughts shift to the land of his birth, of memories long past and lands he would never step foot on again. Silence settled between them as Roman continued to wade through the clear waters, carrying her along with him like she weighed nothing. Really in the water she didn’t. She didn’t need to tell him that even living so close to the ocean she was almost always cooped up as a child. Not by choice but necessity. She had been incredibly ill as a girl, and bringing her out to the beach would have been too much for her frail body.

They waded closer and closer to the shore, Roman managed to pick up a bit of the seaweed he had promised her on the way. She very nearly slipped off his back when the water started to leave her back exposed to the sunshine. She shifted slightly, but almost instinctively he moved to keep her balance on his back. She clung a little tighter as he lifted her and his own body from the ocean. She felt the weight of the water drag her down and she was suddenly suspended fully on Roman’s broad back. She fit there snugly, and he had no trouble bearing her weight.

She clung to him as he pulled them up onto the sand and he lowered himself so she might find her feet once more. Lilith felt herself sorely tempted to kiss his cheek as she returned her paws beneath her. There was still a hesitancy though, an uncertainty in showing him such affection. It was a big step and no matter how much she wanted to show her appreciation for this, for everything he did for her, she did not follow through.

The girl lifted herself to silvery paws and Romulus was swift to lift himself from the sand afterwards. The small granules stuck to his fur and coated him where he had been laying. Living by the ocean sand was usually everywhere, but it was particularly bad on the beach. Ruby eyes looked back up to his face from the sand that clung to his body like the ocean wetted fur that clung to him. He was struck just as she was now, admiring the unfettered glance at the well muscled form beneath soft silver fur.

He pulled her from her daze just as she did for him and he returned to their original plan, they were going to have a spar here on the beach. Her expression hardened into a mischievous grin at the suggestion. "I’m ready.” She replied with a wicked look, lowering her head and allowing her body to fall into a fighter’s stance. Her earlier thoughts were easily pushed to the side, she was far from a confident girl. Lillith was a realist and she knew there wasn’t much chance of winning against him. Like when Artorias fought her in the ring, there had been a tiny chance she could have seen him knocked from the ring, but it was nearly astronomical.

Lil was used to having fun with Romulus though, she knew she could tease him like this and he would play right along with her. "Prepare to eat sand.” Lilith warned him and then immediately rushed into her attack. She knew he was far stronger than she was, but Lillith would try to use her speed against him. With her amusement obvious in the way she grinned as she opened her mouth to lash out. She aimed to sly past his shoulders and offer him a nip to the thigh before continuing past him so he wasn’t able to land an attack of his own.

Lillith vs Romulus for spar
Round 1 of 2
Age: 1+
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Healer

"Speech"

Romulus enjoyed that energized, mischievous look in Lillith's eyes probably far more than he should have. She had come such a long way from the meek, demure girl he had met on the hilltop some months ago. Now she looked like a confident and proud young woman, ready to face any challenge head on. He gave her a devilish grin and shifted to face off against her, lowering his body to his squared off fighting stance while she threw mock threats his way. "Put your money where your mouth is, Lillie!" he shot back, and then their fight began.

Lillith came running at him, and Roman tracked her movements with focused silver eyes. He steeled his nerves, preparing to leap and intercept her, but Lil managed to outmaneuver him with her smaller size and agility. The larger wolf lunged for her, but felt her lithe body slip past his shoulder while his jaws snapped down on nothing but air. He felt her fangs graze his thigh and yelped in surprise, spinning to watch her take off and put some space between them. His eyes followed her shapely rump until she turned back to face him with a grin. He raised a surprised brow, but grinned proudly all the same. Oh, so that's how you wanna play it, huh?

Fire came to life in his steely gaze, and Romulus turned to run after Lillith, using his longer legs and superior stamina to close the distance between them in the blink of an eye. Being larger than she was, Romulus aimed to dive underneath her, trying to sweep her legs out from under her with his body. If he managed to get her down, he would hurry to try and pin her with his greater weight and size. But knowing how quick and nimble the little silver and snow fae was, it was just as likely that she'd dodge his every move.

Romulus vs Lillith for Spar
Round 1/2
Age: 1+ years
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Skills: Novice Fighter & Intermediate Healer
Specialty: N/A

"Speech"

He mirrored her expression, grinning like a mad man as they both squared off and Lil began her assault, unable to hide her groan as he called her lillie. There was no time to argue with him as her slim frame rocketed towards him. Roman was no slow wolf, and he tried to deflect and intercept her but every movement was a fraction too late and she managed to slip past him and give him a good nip on his thigh. He yelped in surprise, something she had not expected but felt victorious in her mind all the same.

She ran on, leaving him stunned for only a moment as she spun back around he was already charging towards her. His tall frame was hunkered low as he tried to knock her off her feet. Lilith was ready for him, and she reared up and used him as a springboard to go flying through the air behind him. She aimed to jump hard enough that his hind quarters might stumble as she leapt.

Lillith got a ten in style but botched the landing. Despite the soft sand her paw slipped and the full force of her weight came crashing down on her ribcage. Instantly the girl lost her breath, but continued to try and struggle to her feet before Romulus could turn around for a counter attack.

Lillith vs Romulus for spar
Round 2 of 2
Age: 1+
Size: Medium
Build: Light
Skills: Advanced Fighter & Advanced Healer
"Speech"

Once again, Lillith's speed and agility proved to be greater than his strength and stamina. Romulus very nearly caught her when she turned to face him, but the girl reared up and leaped over his back, using him to launch herself over him. She was still incredibly light weight from her stunted growth, and as such didn't have enough force behind her leap to cause him to stumble or lose footing, but she had avoided him yet again. With a frustrated growl, Romulus turned to chase after the elusive silver shadow again when he saw her come crashing to the sand. His first reaction was concern, panic gripping his chest as he immediately feared the worst. But when he saw her continue to move to try and right herself, his fighter's instinct kicked in and he ran at her, leaping off the soft sandy ground to try and tackle Lillith. If he succeeded, he waited to wrap his forelegs around her sides to pull her to his body while he collapsed to the beach, looking to pin her to him in a tight embrace that may or may not end in brutal tickles.

Romulus vs Lillith for Spar
Round 2/2
Age: 1+ years
Size: Extra large
Build: Medium
Skills: Novice Fighter & Intermediate Healer
Specialty: N/A

"Speech"

And the winner is...

Lillith

Romulus must give up by submitting, fleeing or passing out. Totals: Lillith : Attack Roll: 40 Defense Roll: 100 Critical block! Agility Roll: 75 Perception Roll: 54 Total: 269 Attack[40] + 5% Bonus[2.00]: 42.00 Defense[100] + 15% Bonus[15.00]: 115.00 Agility[75] + 5% Bonus[3.75]: 78.75 Perception[54] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 54.00 Total[289.75] + 15% Bonus[43.46]: 333.21 Romulus : Attack Roll: 10 Defense Roll: 83 Agility Roll: 56 Perception Roll: 5 Total: 154 Attack[10] + 5% Bonus[0.50]: 10.50 Defense[83] + 15% Bonus[12.45]: 95.45 Agility[56] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 56.00 Perception[5] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 5.00 Total[166.95] + 0% Bonus[0.00]: 166.95