Before heading up the many staircases to the upper floor of the castle, Bramble left Quill in the main foyer. Quickly stopping in the kitchen to gather a bundle of food including dried meats, berries, fruit, and even some wine, she asks her companion, Berry, to bring the satchel up and lay it out in her room. While eating in his new room would be ideal, it was still dusty and would need to at least be cleaned before food touched any surface there. With Berry scampering on ahead of her, she goes to meet Quill back in the foyer.

"Ready for the trek up there? We can take it slow." Her smile is nervous, but excited as she begins to lead Quill up the stairs. It may have been more logical to stay on a lower floor. Easier access to everything and a faster response time if they were ever raided. But once she had seen the view from the balconies up there, she knew she had to. Being able to see everything out to the ocean was a spectacular sight.

Slowly but surely, they made it to the fourth floor. Bramble was certain Quill's injuries were probably aching by now, but it was good for him to work the muscle and stretch out where the skin was healing. Plus, if he was nice and asked, she would massage it if he so wished. She was the best hostess, remember?

Leading him down the hall toward the back corner, she stops in front of the doorway of his new room. "We can go eat in mine first if you'd like," Bramble points her nose to the door beside his, "or we can check out your new room first. What would you like?" She looks to him, trying to ignore the giggly nervousness that twisted her belly up and made her heart thump heavily.

Quimble

table coding by bunni ♥

The pair made their way inside after their long talk in the secret garden. Bramble excused herself and Quill took the opportunity to seat himself in the big hall, blue and pink eyes moving upwards to gaze upon the sprawling stone ceiling. What could have possibly crafted such a spectacular place? Not wolves, surely. Something possessing immense dexterity and intelligence, he wagered. No matter what mythical beasts had built the castle, Quill Klein was glad to be a part of its use.

Bramble returned, a little package carting companion flying on past them. Quill gave the earthen woman an easy smile and nodded, rising and carefully moving up the extensive staircases. It wasn't terribly bad, but by the time they reached the top, he did indeed feel it in his wounds. No complaint passed his lips, however.

Down the hall they went, claws clicking on stone until Bramble stopped in front of one door. Quill assumed that this would be his new room and almost pushed the door open for her when she offered to take him to her room first. Again, the brutes brow arched. "I would rather enjoy seeing how the lady lives," he purred, then motioned for her to lead the way. It would be... interesting... living between two of the Carpathian ladies. Though... if Quill had his way, he wouldn't be spending much time in his own room.

Quimble

table coding by bunni ♥

In a sense, Bramble wasn't surprised that he chose her room first. Something about Quill exuded a masculine confidence that she both admired and made her insides twist with heat and anticipation. Feeling the flutter of heart in her chest, trying to climb up her throat, she nods toward his answer. "Of course. You must be starved," she teases, playful smile tweaking her lips as she walked past him and opened the door to her room. Already, her companion had laid out lunch on the lone table in her room. Drinks, mead and wine, meats, bother fresh and smoked, and even some fruits and cheeses spread over the tabletop. Enough to feed more than the both of them.

"So, this is it," Bramble says as she steps inside, moving toward the other end so that Quill had room to follow. It was spacious being that it was the corner room on the floor. Windows lined two sides, a large mirror on the wall that faced the hallway. The wall that separated their rooms had an old, tattered painting in a dirty, gilded frame, her armor and accessories, plus shelves with little trinkets and gifts she'd been given over the tears. On the far wall that she faced, double french doors were opened out onto the stone balcony that housed some ivy and flowery plants, waving in the salty, spring breeze. The wall with her bed held two stained glass windows and a shield with a crest depicting two swords and a standing bear on it, also stained and degrading from centuries of time passed. To Bramble, it was perfect, if not a tad messy.

"What do you think?" She asks, turning to look at Quill over her shoulder.

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Quill followed Bramble into her room which, as she promised, was right next to his own. Easy access. Close proximity. He liked it. Quill found himself wondering what the sister on the opposite side looked like, but it wasn't for any sexual reason. It was simply for science. Sandwiched between two Carpathians ladies sounded like a lovely fate to the Klein brute.

Bramble's companion had laid out their feast upon a table and Quill nodded in approval. She was a very thoughtful woman and had chosen a little smorgasbord for them to indulge in. His gaze then moved about the room and he couldn't stop the little smile from lifting the corners of his maw. The room was lived in. It wasn't neat. It wasn't messy. It was very, very Bramble.

Confidently, Quill moved through the room, looking at this and that. One paw lifted to slide over the plush furs and pillows of Bramble's bed. He imagined that she slept rather well within such a comfortable, plush nest. Dual-toned eyes then moved to look upon the colorfully paneled windows. Swords and bears... he wasn't too interested in that, but he did move towards the balcony. His first instinct was to look and see how far away his own balcony was from hers and it didn't seem too far. They would be able to converse easily enough from their respective perches.

Back inside, Bramble questioned him and Quill grinned. "It's very you," he informed her before motioning her towards their meal so that they could eat together. "A lovely room for a lovely woman." Taking the initiative, Quill removed the cork on both bottles, giving the brews the opportunity to air out. A little wickedness flashed in Quill's gaze as he lifted a bite sized piece of fruit to his maw. "I wouldn't be upset if I had to stay here while my room is being cleaned."

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Bramble allowed her gaze to linger as Quill moved confidently about her room. It was as if he'd been here a thousand times before. As if not a single thing were out of place and he knew it well. Watching him only made her heart flutter faster, stomach twisting, wondering if she was just really hungry or it was something else. Swallowing the lump in her throat, she smiles and feels her cheeks blush at his comment.

"I'm sure yours will fit you just as well eventually," she replied, moving in a relaxed manner toward the table full of their lunch. Her nose twitches at the heady scents of the brews, her stomach finally giving a requesting gurgle that she eat at least something. As gracefully as she can, she plops herself near Quill, not quite close enough that they were touching, but close in a way that it was obvious she wished to be near him.

Looking hungrily to the spread, she resists the urge to lick her lips. Lifting her paw and revealing a sharp cat claw, she spears a blueberry upon it and pops it in her mouth. Savoring the tart flavor, her eyes widen at Quill's comment. Both brows lift and so do her ears as she glances at Quill carefully. Swallowing her blueberry, she can't hide the flush that burns hotter and hotter across her cheeks. Now wasn't the time to fudge this up. No, she needed to be... not clumsy, awkward Bramble. She could be flirty, suave... Right? After a beat, she turns her muzzle toward him to look more directly at his ice and blush eyes.

"Are you implying you wish to share my bed with me, sir?" Bramble teases, a playful smile on her lips as she maintains eye contact while spearing a piece of strawberry upon her claw and popping it into her mouth to chew slowly. Don't choke on it, dummy.

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table coding by bunni ♥

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He did so enjoy flustering her. It was so very easy and the result was... adorable. The way that she stilled, her eyes widening ever so slightly. He imagined she was thinking of just how to reply to him. The stillness between his response and her own allowed him time to observe her, to get to know her tells. He didn't like constantly comparing Bramble to her sister, but he couldn't help it in this instance. She was so very, very different from Talyssa in almost all ways.

In time, Bramble was able to respond. He watched as she used one interesting claw to lift a piece of strawberry to her lips. She asked if he was implying that he'd like to share her bed. Without missing a beat, Quill lifted a piece of strawberry to his own maw. "What hot blooded male wouldn't want to share a bed with a lovely woman such as yourself?" What? Had she expected him to deny it? Quill wasn't very courtly and his manners were very much his own. He saw no use in lying or beating around the bush. Did he want to share a bed with her? Yes. Yes he did.

Next, Quill took a drink of the mead, making a soft sound of pleasure as the honeyed brew touched his tongue. "Quite nice," he complimented the drink before handing it to the woman beside him. He'd noted just how close she'd settled herself to him. Close enough that he could feel her heat but not close enough to touch him. Well... that wouldn't do.

Quill repositioned himself, feigning pain from his injuries as he settled upon the hip closest to Bramble. This brought them closer together still and his tail flicking out as he moved, sliding to curl around her own hip and tail. He made no comment about it or any other move to even acknowledge that they were now touching. The grey and white giant simply went back to sampling the lunch that she'd gathered for them.

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In fact, Quill's honest answer was exactly what she wanted. To hear, out loud, that he did want to share her bed. The words sent a chill down her spine, enjoying the sizzling tension that began to build between them. Her gaze warmed with her cheeks, watching him eat the strawberry in return. That teasing smile on her lips did turn into a smaller, slightly more shy one, but she continued to push her confidence forward. They were very much alone now and she felt comfortable enough allowing herself to be a bit more forward with him.

"Depends I suppose on what you define as lovely," Bramble lets out a chuckle, teasing him that maybe his previous choices hadn't been as good. Not that Bramble was full of herself because she too could always be better than she was yesterday, but pretending to be glorious was fun in a way.

Watching him sample the mead, she didn't hesitate to take the bottle from him when offered. Taking a swig of her own, Bramble lets out her own pleased hum as the honeyed liquid slides down and warms her stomach. Everything inch of her was warm now and getting warmer by the moment.

"They say the Hallows produces the best wine," she comments, eyes flicking over to watch as he feigned pain, settling onto a hip that brought him closer to her. With one brow raised in question, Bramble doesn't comment as he suggestively wraps his tail around her hips and tail. When he doesn't acknowledge the movement, Bramble gives him a smile and a small roll of her eyes. Reaching for a piece of meat, she chews it slowly, savoring the flavor and the way his lush fur warms her further. After a few minutes of companionable silence, tasting the lunch before them, she lets her gaze flick to him, a mischievous glint to her eyes.

"If you wanted me closer, all you needed to do was ask," Bramble murmurs. Without a second thought, she somewhat awkwardly, but still also somewhat gracefully manages to slide herself closer to Quill, nudging his hip and side outward so that she could fit neatly beside him. Leaning into his bulk, her eyes flutter close and her head droops slightly. The warmth and feel of his body enveloping her own was pleasant against the cool draft that wafted in from the open doors. Leaning her cheek against his neck for a moment, she enjoys the feel of his silky soft fur for another second before turning back to the food.

Taking another swig of the mead, she offers it to Quill before taking a piece of cheese and meat to sandwich it together. "So now that you have a home, what's the next step? Climb the ranks and become Commander? Find a wife, settle down, have some pups? What's your dream life?" Maybe she'd blame the questioning on the mead that swirled in her belly. Or the daydreams that plagued her mind. Ideas of falling in love and being swept off her paws. She couldn't take them back now so she decided to busy herself with eating another piece of fruit.

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"I would define you as quite lovely," the Klein brute answered very truthfully. He'd never met a woman like Bramble in all of his days carousing. Talyssa had been wonderful and she would always have a place in his heart, but Bramble was something different. He'd seen Talyssa as an object to obsess over. A pawn to move and manipulate however he wished. She would never tell him no or go against his wishes. She would simply agree and hop to whatever he wanted. Bramble would challenge him. She would be reliable. A true partner. He could tell this already.

Bramble told him of the Hallows wine and Quill released a rumble of contemplation. "Pity I'm not much of a drinker then," he replied. Like his father, drinking had never really been his thing. He could become intoxicated in other ways, and right now, he was very drunk on Bramble. Even more so when she coyly told him that he could have asked to be closer. Again, something wicked sparked in the brutes blush and blue gaze. "What fun would that be? I wanted to be closer, so I moved closer." Reaching across to the far edge of the table brought his maw terribly close to hers. He plucked a piece of smoked meat from the table. "You'll come to find that I take what I want." His voice was a soft purr as he spoke, his lips so close to her own. Then he drew back, popping the meat into his mouth to chew and swallow. He enjoyed being a tease.

The conversation shifted and she asked what he wanted. One shoulder lifted in a partial shrug. "I've no interest in lofty titles," he admitted. That had never been his thing. "A wife might be nice. Pups... I can give or take. They aren't something that I've had a strong desire for." If he and whatever future lady worked her way into his good graces ended up having children, he would care for them, but they weren't a hard want. Not like his want and need for a home. "Why do you ask?" Suddenly he was staring straight into her beautiful, aqua eyes. "Interested in the position?"

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