Ash smiled as he watched her keep his hand on her face. It wasn’t a hold but it was enough for it to stick to her face. He had never seen her act so shy as she did in that moment. His green eyes almost looked guilty as she looked sheepish. He returned the grip and nodded with her.

“I just know how I feel, Holly is the real mastermind. I know a bit about wordsmithing but not as much as she does.” He joked softly with her. He leaned his head down and let her play with his hair. It felt good to be close to someone, to let someone in. “Oh?” He was about to ask what she met when she kissed him this time.

It was pleasant and much needed to soothe his wounded mind. He kept the kiss going as long as he thought he could go without breathing before realizing he actually did need to breathe. He chuckled as he nuzzled his forehead against hers. “What am I going to do with you Flower? You always seem to surprise me.” He took her by the waist and kissed her again, pulling her down to the soft ground. He had made sure to push the wine and food away just enough so they didn’t knocked it over.

When he was done kissing her, he held her in such a way that she had her head on his chest. He was looking up at the bamboo trees. “This is all I want. This right here.” He gripped her a bit protectively and closed his eyes. “My Flower and peace.”

Aisling wasn't so sure what it was about Ash that drew her in so much. He was kind, and gentle and rather romantic, and while she had always been on the look out for that one special person, she had struck out a couple of different times. She was a hopeless romantic though, and she found herself wondering if things between herself and this handsome paladin could really work out. She sighed softly as they kissed, and slipped her hands up around Ash's shoulders. He seemed to be enjoying the embrace, and the only thing that made them separate was the inevitable need for oxygen. 

Aisling giggled softly as Ash nuzzled her forehead. "I'm full of surprises Ash. I guess you'll just have to stick around to see what I have up my sleeve," she replied playfully. She gasped slightly as he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her in again into a deeper kiss. She felt him lower her to the ground and they rolled once or twice during the duration of the kiss before it ended with her lying on top of him with her head resting on his chest, an ear to his heart. She looked up at him and sat up slightly as he said that all he wanted was her, and peace. 

"You've suffered a lot of loss, haven't you, Ash?" she asked him softly. "I can see it, you know, in your eyes, and I can feel it in how you've been holding me. How can I help bring you relief?" she inquired as she cuddled up to him. 

Ash laughed a bit and kissed her once more. “I can’t leave you with Holly, she might turn you against me. I guess you both are stuck with me.” He teased her knowing that Holly liked the idea of the two of them just as much as they liked each other. Once more they were enthralled by each other as they rolled about the blanket.

He held her by her waist as she sat up. “Friends. A lot of friends. Women that maybe I would have liked to know like I seem to know you. Dead. Gone. War, evil, illness, it’s all the same in the eyes of life and death.” He pushed his waist up enough so he could pushed her blonde hair back once more. “I’m protective of you Aisling because I don’t want what has claimed them to claim you.”

He fell back to the ground as they cuddled and he just sighed heavily. “Just like this.” Maybe there was a piece of him that wanted more as his hands moved about her body. He learned her the best he could at this stage, he never wanted to lose her. “Holly would never forgive me if something happened to you. I couldn’t forgive myself either.”

"I am not that corruptible," Aisling smiled. "I don't think there is anything she could say, or you could do that would make me turn away from you," she added. Short of him betraying her, she was pretty sure this statement was true. Ash had proven to be one of the truest young men she had ever met, and she had only known him a very short time. 

She looked at him, her eyes filled with empathy as he spoke of the ones he had lost to one thing or another, and gently pressed her hand over his as he brushed her hair from her face. She gave him a wry smile and cuddled back up with him. 
"Don't fear too much for me. I am a lot more resilient than I look…" she told him softly, trying to reassure him, but still cuddled close. She let him caress her, his hands moving over her arms, shoulders, sides and hips, and he never ventured where he was not welcomed. As they lay there, Aisling rolled over to face him. He had said such nice and sweet things, and held her so fondly. 

"So… you'll really stay with us then? You'll travel the roads with three females just for the sake of making sure Holly doesn't turn me against you?" she asked him softly. 

Ash gave her a loving look and laughed. “Holly is a good person but I swear she has it out for me, but if my Flower says she is not  worried than I do believe it to be true.” He swooped in to kiss her forehead and sighed in a very relaxed way. It pleased him to know that Aisling would be with him.

“I know plenty of women who have said the same thing Flower, you’ll just have to believe me on that. My mother is one of them though and she is doing just fine. I’ll just think you are like her.” It was weird but his mother was one person he didn’t see dying anytime soon, though if it did happen he would sad beyond belief. 

The man loosened his arms and looked up at her as she spun to him. “I’ll stay because of you not Holly. I do not really fear Holly so much as I fear the thought of losing you to life itself. That would break my heart Aisling.” He said her name so fondly and filled with energy as he reached up and gently kissed her. His hands settled on her hips and he managed a bit. “I would travel to the end of the world with you.”

Her heart skipped a beat when he actually used her name. He said it so fondly and with such conviction that she couldn't bring herself to say the things she had on her mind. They had barely known each other a couple of days, but she knew as well as anyone else that sometimes love could be an instantaneous thing, however fleeting it could be. She felt a general preference towards him, in fact she liked him more than any other crushes she had in the past, and he seemed so devoted to the idea of being with her that he was willing to travel the world with her. 


But would he be willing to travel to hell and back… as may be the case?

His hands on her hips made the thought scurry away, and it was replaced by the thought that the only way to know was to cross that bridge when it came. 

"I won't stop you then… in fact, I more than welcome the company," she said softly, her lips teasing his. They kissed again, deeply and passionately. She felt the weight of his body upon her as they rolled over each other on the blanket, the energy between them building until articles of clothing began to be discarded.

With Aisling time flew by him. It wasn’t enough to just throw her clothes aside, he studied her completely and paid her body the attention he thought it deserved. He wouldn’t stop until he was dead tired and even then when they were done, he pulled her into his arms in the most protective hug he had. His lips kissed the top of her head and his hands rested gently against her hips.

He swallowed down anything in his mouth as if nervous now, as if she could be snatched away from him at anymore. His hug got tighter about her, but not enough to hurt her. His eyes closed and he found himself in bliss. He could live with this, he knew it.

Lumia would be upset at him but he had told her the rules. He had never wanted to actually be with someone the way he wanted to be with Aisling. Lumia was just who he had gone to so he could avoid real life. He had never touched her or did anything with her. If anything he had just laid in her arms but the woman was possessive over him. It was a bridge to cross when the time came, that much was for certain.

Aisling would win against her. A smile crossed his lips. He could feel how strong his Aisling was. “We could lay here all night, or we could go back to the inn and lay in my bed…” He chuckled with her. “The spirits here make me a tad uneasy at night.”