In truth, Nana didn’t need to worry about whether the green or yellow ensemble would have aided her more in her plans to ensnare Timaeus. Not when she had already long ago succeeded in the task of drawing him in. The sheer knowledge of her being some usually unattainable jewel, locked far away in the vaults of Taengea and out of the reach of men like him; and yet, still being here before him just the same, was more than enough for the Leventi girl to wrap him around his little finger. She could have appeared from that marble entryway dressed in his least favorite color (a particular shade of orange that managed to capture the essence of both mud and rust) with her hair askew and just generally appearing as if she had rolled out of bed five minutes prior; and Timaeus would have been stunned by her beauty. She was a Leventi for Zeus’s sake! Her beauty was in her blood.

Timaeus was sure of that when the girl approached him and for the first time, he was truly able to catch of glimpse of her family’s fabled looks. Granted he had seen her and just as thusly found himself smitten with her features at the feast, but the view had been obscured then. He didn’t see the small green and golden flecks in her eyes as she drew closer to him. The little spots of color danced in the reflection of the sun upon her and way they scrunched up slightly showed to him just how wide her smile was underneath the cover of her hand -- causing his to grow wider too. Not to mention how the little rays of Apollo’s sun bounced and shone throughout her hair, making the golden strands practically glow in the early dawn light. He certainly wouldn’t have seen any of this in the dim light that had cloaked the Dikastirio, but now? Out here in the sun? Her beauty was on full display for him to gaze upon. It didn’t matter if she wore a green or yellow dress. She would have been equally stunning in both.

However, Tim was somewhat pleased by her choice of green attire. Granted, it was for nothing more than the sheer fact that the of them managed to pick the same color after hours of laborious thought that went into their decisions. (Nevermind the fact that they were wearing vastly different shades.) Could it be a sign of similar mindsets? Something that made them compatible that went deeper than the clear lust they shared for each other’s outward appearance?

Hopefully, by the end of this date Timaeus would find out.

As he rose from his bow and she curtsied in return, Timaeus couldn’t hold back the hearty laugh that had bubbled up within him at the Leventi girl’s words. “ Aye, the King didn’t know who he was crossing when he made his fashionably late appearance, my la- Nana.” He quickly quipped back in return, downplaying his actions that evening. In truth, Timaeus didn’t believe that he had been all that heroic when the doors to the Dikastirio came crashing in. He was, after all, one of the few men who weren’t in the line of defense and ready to stand up against whoever was attacking the building. In his eyes, that had been a cowardly thing for him to have done, nevermind the fact he was protecting Nana who would have otherwise been alone and defenseless in a foreign court. The fact that he stayed by her side when otherwise she would have surely come to harm was heroic in the eyes of many; he still couldn’t personally look past how he had failed to protect the rest of the court. As silly as it sounded.

But that was neither here or now. As cowardly he may have thought his actions to be, he still did not regret them. Not when he knew what the gruesome alternative may have been if hadn’t stayed at her side.

He chuckled a bit at the notion that Nana could be anything, but a ‘good companion’ for the evening. Timaeus had no doubts that the two of them would enjoy the little outing that he had planned, with them both being so fond of the chase to capture each other, after all. Although she didn’t know, the whole evening would be a rather simple one with them first leaving the Leventi manor on a jaunt around the city of Midas. Timaeus knew that Nana was not familiar with the Kingdom of Colchis, so giving her a bit of a tour would be easy enough. If the daylight hours were still with them by the time they had finished, he was hoping to take her to a secret cove that he knew about. One where, at this very moment, servants from his household was preparing a picnic for the two of them to share. Timaeus had tried to keep it simple. He wasn’t a man who enjoyed the frills and fuss of events, after all, but as long as Nana enjoyed herself, he would be happy.

“ My l- Nana.” He said, continually needing to correct himself when the Leventi woman said that there was no need to be so formal with each other, “ After the thrill of our previous meeting, I doubt you would be a boorish companion. I can only hope that you do not find me to be as dull as the mountains surrounding us.” He reassured her with a slight grin, teasing at the fact that Colchis was not known to be the most exhilarating of countries. Timaeus knew that for himself after having traveled the seas as a younger man and saw with his own eyes how lively her home country of Taengea could be. Even today he swore that their rivers ran not with water, but with wine given how keen everyone was to party in the affluent country.

Timaeus watched quietly as Nana approached the horse. She moved gently, allowing the beast to become accustomed to her presence before petting the mare. This truly impressed Timaeus as it showed him, without her needing to say a thing, that she was just as skilled as an equestrian as he. Only novice riders would approach a horse without a sense of caution and Nana did not do that. The Baron didn’t give any indication of his inner thoughts beyond a slight smirk that he doubted the girl would have caught given how enamored she was with the mare. That would be for the better actually, allowing for Timaeus to file that realization away so it could be used as a topic for them later as the night progressed.

“ Koré” He quickly supplied the horse’s name when Nana asked him for it. “ My sister was fond of the name when she was little. I think it may have been what one of her friends was called?” He mused for a moment as he too approached the gray beast and ran his hand through the mare’s mane. He couldn’t remember the full story, but Tim was sure that it was something along the lines of that. When he was younger, he didn’t care much for the gaggle of girls that had accompanied Roxana from time to time. He had much better things to do at that young age than care about what she was doing.

Little did he know though that the mere mention of a sister would most likely be mistakenly interpreted by Nana. No one in Colchis knew that Timaeus of Valaoritis had a sister. Seven Hades, he didn’t even mean to call the girl as much, given that they were cousins and illegitimate ones at that. It was just a slip of his tongue, but one that he was unlikely to be questioned on. Not while Nana believed that he was speaking of Vangelis’s sister; Asia. Everyone in the whole of Greece knew that she was the only daughter of the Colchian royal family and as long as Nana believed him to be part of that stock too, she wouldn’t question him on it.

Not even being aware of the fact that Nana thought him to be Kotas born, Timaeus turned a bright red when she asked him to help her mount the steed. With no stool around to aid the pair, ‘helping her’ would mean that Timaeus would most likely either need to lift her or otherwise boost her up onto the horse. This was a bit of an issue as due to the fact that the two of them were not related or officially courting by any means, Timaeus was not supposed to touch her in any aspect -- especially given that his brother’s penchant for intimacy with ladies he was not supposed to be even close to, had landed the Valaoritis family in so much trouble, to begin with. However, the two of them had very little options and truthfully… Tim wanted to feel her underneath his fingertips again; like he had done leading them across the room to the tables or shielding her from the danger in the Dikastirio. It just felt good. From what he recalled, it was like her skin had burned him with how tingly he had felt, but it was a good sort of burn, a thrilling one. The kind that made you dance your fingertips through the flame of a single candle until it became too hot to bear.

This part of Timaeus wanted to forget the rules and the customs of society to just lift her onto the horse, but the lingering threat of Vangelis over his household pulled him back from such action. He didn’t know, after all, who could be watching the pair and what they would say to who. He didn’t need another head of a powerful family breathing down his neck for some sort of crime against a woman’s honor. So, going against what he wanted to do and what Nana wanted as well; the Lord nodded and dropped down to one knee, threading his hands together to allow for the girl to use them as a step to get in the saddle. He winced a little as he glanced up at her, knowing full well that this wasn’t what she had in mind, but his expression said his apology for him. Rules are rules. Maybe one day she would get to know the truth of why he wasn’t eager to cross that sort of line here in public.

As disappointed as they both seemed to be, Nana still used the footstep that he provided to climb up onto her horse. Once she was settled in the saddle, Timaeus stood up and brushed the damp soil off of his outfit before turning to the Mare and double-checking that the reins and saddle were both secure. Without meaning too, the fabric of his chiton brushed against her leg, sending sparks up through the Colchian lord who desperately tried to ignore the jolt that came with her being so close. What he didn’t accidentally do, however, was brush his fingers against hers as she took the reins, smiling like an idiot when they came into contact, before ducking his head to hide the bright red bloom appearing on his face.

“ She should be alright. She’s gentle and knows the mountain paths.” He said as a slight reassurance to mask the excitement within him over the fact he was about to go out riding with a Leventi Sweet Zeus, this still didn’t seem real. It had to be a dream. It had to be.

But it wasn’t.

That much was clear when Timaeus turned away from the girl and mounted his steed, signaling for the servants to reopen the gate so that the two of them could pass through. While they were waiting for the gap to be large enough to pass through, Timaeus guided Thrasos closer to Kore, so that he may speak to Nana without needing to shout. “ Am I correct in assuming that you are not familiar with the City of Midas, Nana? I thought it might be splendid to start our evening with a quick tour of the lower levels, wouldn’t you agree?” He asked her with an eyebrow raised. He doubted that she would disagree, especially if this was one of the few times she had ever visited the capital before. However, he still wasn’t going to put words in her mouth and accidentally bore the girl to death this evening. That would certainly be a night-killer, that’s for sure. It was up to her, but he honestly, doubted that she would disagree with his plan. Not when she appeared to be eager for whatever Timaeus had in store.

As the Kaolspiti gate closed behind them and the pair began to make their way to the lower levels, Timaeus could tell that Thrasos was frustrated with the slower pace. The Colchian Lord didn’t blame him either. The chestnut-colored beast was a warhorse whose slowest gait was normally nothing less than a canter. This whole walking speed just wasn’t his style, so to speak. He made that much clear to Timaeus by his turned back ears and swishing tail that was dangerously close to striking Kore. No less than three times did the beast attempt to pick up the pace of his own accord but was swiftly brought back to heel by Timaeus. Even though Timaeus was not the biggest fan of his slow pace either, it was necessary as there wasn’t a chance in Hades that he was going to let Thrasos outpace the dapple grey mare that carried Nana. The horse could be annoyed all he liked, but it would be very bad form if he abandoned the girl out here -- even if it was the damn beast’s fault.

So, for a few moments, Timaeus was distracted by his own needy horse and not the lovely Leventi woman who was his riding companion for the evening; giving her the perfect chance for her to drink in his image with being thought of as strange for staring. Instead of noticing how Nana’s gaze jumped from feature to feature of his, he focused on calming the beast. Dropping the rein from one of his hands, Timaeus leaned forward a bit to scratch the horse’s neck and murmured lightly enough that Nana couldn’t hear, “ Easy. Soon. Pull yourself together.” He almost chuckled at himself for his choice of words. Thank the gods that he had been too quiet for Nana to hear. Otherwise, she surely would have thought him as crazy after hearing him talking to his horse as if it were a person!

When he straightened himself once again, semi-successful in his task of setting the horse at ease, he glanced over at his riding companion for the evening. He thought that he would be greeted with that coy smile of hers that was normally accompanied by the lightest smattering of blush across her cheeks as she turned away from him. The gods knew how many times the two of them bad glanced at each other in this way -- Timaeus especially. However, he was instead surprised to see that she had obviously been staring at him during the few moments he had been distracted. Timaeus instantly turned his head away, to help them both save face as a bright red bloomed across his face. He certainly hadn’t expected that to happen, but he wasn’t exactly complaining either. It felt nice to know that he was the center of her attention, just like how she had become his.

A small smirk even formed on his face as he glanced back at her, once he thought that the bright crimson of embarrassment had died down. In truth, it hadn’t. His cheeks were a light rosy color, seemingly etched permanently into his skin from how much he had been blushing thus far. Timaeus knew that he should save the girl from the humiliation of being caught so blatantly staring at him, but a quiet mischievous urge that he had not felt in years crept up to within him. It was practically begging him to make light of the situation… and if his time sailing the high seas with Adrestus was any indication of how well he had been able to resist that temptation, his next action should have been no surprise.

Trusting the notion that having a sense of humor was a good asset, Timaeus gave in and playfully chuckled to his companion, “ You know, my mother has always said that portraits last longer.” He flashed the young woman beside him a small smirk as he maneuvered Thrasos a bit further away from Nana; just to make sure he was out of her striking distance if she took offense to the comment. He had learned that lesson the hard way after teasing Roxana one too many times when he was younger.

Once the moment had passed, he pulled Thrasos closer to her once again as he listened to her speak about how unfamiliar she was with the militaristic nation in the Greecian sea. He remained quiet as she spoke, making comments about how barren the landscape was and how she was grateful for Timaeus being the one to guide her through the city; but one line, in particular, had his eyes widen in a stunned surprise as he glanced over at her. “ Wait, have I heard you correctly? You have never left the Taengean shores before?” He blurted out once she had brought herself to a pause. Timaeus had always taken for granted how easy it was for him to travel. He may be rather landlocked now due to the nature of his profession, but in his younger years, he had practically lived on the ocean. The Valaoritis had seen almost every corner of the known world from the great pyramids of Egypt to the grandest temples of Judea. He was a wandering spirit by nature and he just couldn’t fathom staying in one kingdom for over twenty years. He’d quite frankly lose his mind with boredom.

Realizing fairly quickly how improper his words were, Timaeus quickly moved to retract his statement by hastily clarifying with a small shake of his head, “ Forgive my impertinence, Lady Nana. I wasn’t always so thoroughly anchored to this floating rock and spent several years exploring the realm when I was younger. It’s hard to remember sometimes that this wasn’t the typical way people of our standing spend their youths.” He flashed her a small apologetic smile with his words, hoping that he did not accidentally offend her or anything of that sort. Hopefully, that wouldn’t be the case with the next thing that came from his lips, with a hearty laugh, of course, “ But I guess if I had to spend a lifetime anywhere, Taengea is certainly far more cheerier than Colchis. Tell me, do the rivers still run red with wine?” His question was a joke, of course, referencing the party culture that existed within her homeland.

By gods, how he missed Taengea. The whole kingdom was so carefree and certainly nothing like the hostile Colchis he had begrudgingly come to love over the years. He wouldn’t mind having the chance to return to the Kingdom one day -- if, of course, he could guarantee that the barony would be looked over by someone other than his brother. That was a disaster just waiting to happen.

Speaking of his home country, though, Timaeus had to duck his head at the thought of him being a good tour guide for her. That had to be the furthest thing from the truth given how disparagingly he had been in his words surrounding Colchis thus far. “ Ah, the crown prince is not all that far from the truth actually. There are some farmlands to the north, but the majority of Colchis is just as mountainous as Midas. Some provinces are nothing, but mountains.” Timaeus was obviously referencing his own lands of Eubocris when he said this, but his home was not the only one that was marked by thin air and the stone walls of nature deciding their borders. Eubocris was just lucky enough to be the tallest within Colchis.

To keep the mood light though, Timaeus threw in a light quip as the pair finally made their way past the last household within the upper levels and started to descend to the lower sections of the city; “ It’s no wonder our main export is our soldiers. There’s nothing to do on this lonely rock then spend our days climbing.” It was a joke, of course, and a common one within the country thanks to the knowledge that most of the country’s food came from abroad. There was no need for farmers in Colchis so everyone became a soldier instead.

By this point in their journey, the Dikastiro came into view as the first building that Timaeus could point out to her. “ There’s the Great Hall. Nearly every meeting of importance is held there as I’m sure you know.” He didn’t have a whole lot to say about the building as that had been the place where they had met before their evening had descended into chaos. It had to be the only location besides the docks and her own home that the girl actually knew. “ The Senate meets there often and is far duller than what you saw at the feast.” His tone was light with them all being lucky enough to joke about the events of what happened now that it was all said and done. Timaeus had pretty much already moved on from the traumatizing events of that evening. It was easy for him, being a soldier, as he could handle great scenes of carnage better than those who had never stepped foot in a barracks.

But that line of thought did beg the question…

Slowing the gait of Thrasos a bit, Timaeus turned to the Leventi woman and asked in complete seriousness, “ You are alright after everything that happened, right? I know it must have been terrifying -- even more so if this your first time away from home…” He trailed off at the end, allowing her to supply the answer he sought as he searched her expression for any signs that all was not well with the foreign woman in a Colchian court.

He hoped that his worries were misplaced, but one could never truly know…

The false prince laughed quietly when Nana implored him to reveal some of the tales of his adventures to the various corners of the known realm. In truth, he wasn’t too keen to divulge what preoccupied the majority of his days at sea… or better yet who. He had been a young nobleman during that era; a hotblooded dog who had finally been let off the leash that came with being raised in the lonely mountains of Eubocris and training under a conservative uncle. His stories were meant to be shared in taverns with several goblets of the strongest spirits warming his belly, not here with a girl of royal stature who would likely take offense to all the trouble he found himself tangled in as a boy.

“ Oh it’s not as fascinating as it might seem,” He said somewhat awkwardly as he shook his head lightly, hoping to dissuade his beautiful companion from inquiring further about the time in his life when he had many other beautiful companions. “ We spent so many weeks out at sea and there are only so many things three young men can do on the open waters.” He said with a light smile. As much as he tried to hide it, he couldn’t hide the small twinge of sadness that crept up within his voice when Timaeus mentioned how he used to be part of a trio. Well, that trio was no more as just a little under a month ago he learned of the tragic fate that befell Sokari. Cruelly, the fates had taken him from the young men, leaving only Adrestus and Timaeus among mortal men.

It was something that was difficult for the young baron to accept.

Shaking these thoughts from his mind, the man managed to pull his gaze away from Nana’s captivating features and look up towards the bright blue sky; wracking his brain for any sort of story that he could share with the Taengean. With the loss of Sokari fress upon his mind, it was easy for his thoughts to drift to the sands of Egypt and the first of many adventures that he had had in the southern lands. As one memory in particular settled in his mind, a mischievous grin grew across his face as he glanced back at Nana. For a moment she might have seen a hint of the boy he used to be, happy and carefree before reality crashed back in upon him and forced him to abandon his wanderlust. If only the two had crossed paths during that era… the woman before him would see a very different man; an eager adventurer rather than a stoic soldier.

But that was neither here or now. Perhaps Nana would get to know of the boy that Timaeus used to be -- if both time and the fates were willing, of course. For now, she would just have to settle for the snippets that came when wide childlike beams crossed his face.

This was one of those moments as the impish twinkle in his grew into a cheeky grin as he divulged the one thing he was sure would impress the girl while obscuring the promiscuous parts of his past that ladies like her shouldn’t be privy to. “ Would you believe me though if I told you I once met the current Pharaoh of Egypt?” He was sure that his companion for the evening would proclaim the story to be a lie. It seemed far too incredulous to be true. After all, who had heard of a greek nobleman had run into General Iahotep and lived to tell the tale? Timaeus was certainly hoping that Nana had not, otherwise his hopes of impressing the young Taengean would be dashed in a heartbeat.

Just in case she had though, he decided to share a few more details that made his encounter with the so-called King of Kings certainly unique. “ My companions and I had thought ourselves brilliant by obscuring our faces underneath women’s clothing while we explored the Valley of the Kings. Not a single soul was fooled by our disguise -- especially not the General.” Timaeus said with a light chuckle as he looked over to Nana. He fully expected the young woman to be shocked by the revelation that her supposed prince had once adorned women’s clothing in a foreign land. After all, cross-dressing was only done by performers wishing to portray the fairer sex on the stage. It was not something that men and women of their social circles admitted to… even though it had been a necessity during the young man’s adventures in a post-war Egypt. Thank the gods he had outgrown those days though.

After all, it was bad enough that Colchis had to deal with one version of Silanos. They didn’t need his older brother to be acting just as reckless as well.

He nodded solemnly when Nana mentioned that she was fearful she would grow homesick for the rolling hills of Taengea if she was to part from them. Timaeus understood that worry all too well. Although he had enjoyed his time on the sea, there had been moments where he longed for nothing more than to be back in front of his own hearth with the comfort of his family beside him. Those were the nights of his adventures he didn’t like to remember when things had been far too lonely or miserable to not think about the joys of home. The fun of his days had kept them at bay for quite a while, but he couldn’t imagine that a proper noblewoman like Nana would have the luxuries of keeping those miserable nights at bay.

“ Ah, missing home has ended many fine adventures.” He said wistfully as that mischievous twinkle in his eye returned as he tried to keep the lightheartedness of the conversation at the forefront of their minds, “ Wouldn’t it stand to reason that you are on an adventure now? Sailing to a far off land to meet new people and see new places? ” As he spoke, the hand that wasn’t holding the reigns of the frustrated Thrasos motioned to the city around them; a place that by her own admission she had never been to before. True, it may not have been as exciting as seeing the sands of Egypt or the temples of Judea; but by all means, it did count as an adventure… especially as she was doing things she never would have done in Taengea such as riding through the city of Midas alone with a man who may very well become a potential suitor.

That certainly counted as one in Tim’s book at least.

The Baron of Eubocris was glad to hear that the lands of Taengea were still just as deeply entrenched in the revelry as it had been when Timaeus had last been there. A look of wistful longing crossed his face as the girl beside him lied about the current state of her country. In truth, he had been so lost in his own thoughts that he almost missed the pointed tone to her words and the false grin that had accompanied them. Instantly, his momentary daydreams of returning to the festive land were dashed from his mind as he looked at her with a worried expression. It wasn’t too different from the one that she had seen just a few night’s prior at the feast -- when the King had collapsed and the true King of Colchis forced his way into the dikastirio-- although this expression was far more muted than before.

For a moment, Timaeus considered pressing her on what had sapped the bright and joyful aura from the girl, but before he could even open his lips, the answer dawned on him. A quiet expression of understanding fell over him as the concern melted away. Taengea had not been a peaceful country in recent months. Everyone throughout the known world knew this to be a fact. Timaeus had just merely forgotten how these sorts of political dramas would affect the Leventi girl beside him, especially now as both of her sisters called themselves the Queen of Taengea. Nana was forced to chose sides in a conflict that would hurt at least one member of her family, so being reminded of Taengea was probably not something that she would have wished to do at that moment.

Good gods. He silently chastised himself, How on earth could you be such an idiot?

Eager to put the subject aside and forget the awkwardness that came with it, Timaeus put the whole thing to rest by saying simply, “ Ah well, that’s good to hear. Maybe one day, if the gods are willing, perhaps you could return the favor and show me the Taengea you know? I know that mustn’t have seen all of it, otherwise --” He trailed off at the end, letting his unfinished statement linger in the air. Tim had caught himself from being too forward with the Taengean as he was about to make a comment about how if he had truly explored everything that her country had to offer, he would have met her all those years ago at some festival.

A bout of unfortunate blush crawled up his face as he considered what he had almost said. It was bad enough that he had propositioned an eventual trip for him to visit Taengea. He was being far too forward, he needed to backpedal if he didn’t wish to scare her off. “ Forgive me. I spoke too hastily. I don’t know if I will ever turn to Taengea again. My current position doesn’t allow for as much freedom as I had in my youth. He said quickly, the words practically tumbling out of his mouth as he tried to bring the red on his face to heel.

Luckily for him, after this slight misstep on his part, the pair were content with the easy silence that came with the pair making their way into the more crowded lower levels. There weren’t as many landmarks for Timaeus to point out in this part of Midas as it was mostly filled with residential spaces. However, the crowded nature of these streets had Timaeus motioning for Nana to draw closer to him as one hand drifted to the pommel at his side, subconsciously ready to take up the role of protector once more if any of the citizens of Midas decided to give the pretty foreigner trouble. Timaeus wouldn’t put it past them. This section of the city was dirty and not known for being the most upstanding of locations. He would just have to hope that his imposing presence and their clear noble stature would encourage folks to stay away.

“ This is what we call the lower levels. Don’t worry, we’ll be out of here in just a moment…” He said with a serious tone as he carefully watched any man who came too close to Nana due to the crowded nature of the streets. It wasn’t even something that he was aware that he was doing. Timaeus was just so used to being the protector for his family and for his unit that it was just second nature to be alert and aware of his surroundings. However, what he wasn’t expecting was the young Taengean to so easily pull him out of this mindset with a few simple words of praise for what occurred at the Feast a few nights prior -- praise that he was thoroughly convinced that he did not deserve.

“ I only did what any decent man would have done. Truly, you do not need to praise me for such actions. I’m not deserving of it.” He said with that ever-present blush crawling up his cheeks as he humbly denied the praise that Nana placed upon him. It was true. He didn’t think that he had done anything that special by choosing to protect her as the chaos rained down around them. Had any other gentleman been in his position, he was sure that they would have done the same too. It had been the right thing to do at the moment.

However, he was glad when Nana suggested that the two of them no longer mention the feast, which was something that Timaeus had no problems with nodding his assent with. “ That might be for the best.” He said with a small grin as the two of them finally made their way out of the lower levels and onto the dirt paths that led up to the mines surrounding the Colchian city.

A large boyish grin appeared on his face when Nana became suddenly very playful as she readjusted her hold on Kore’s reins; almost as if she knew what the Lord had in store for them as they made their way to one of the higher peaks of the Colchian mountains. The journey up the mountain was peaceful and pleasant, filled with quips about they could almost see Taengea from where they stood. Timaeus couldn’t hide the childish grin as they reached the apex of the trail, with nowhere else to go as the pair reached the mine entrance. With little warning, Timaeus sharply pulled Thrasos in front of Kore, to startle the girl a bit as a playful look flashed in his eyes.

“ I do hope you were paying attention to my tour Nana. I have heard that all Leventis are great equestrians, but I’ve always wondered if it’s true…” His tone was light as he pulled the chestnut steed away from Nana and led Thrasos closer to the edge, pointing over towards a formidable structure on the edge of the horizon. “ That there is the Naos of the gods. I say we have a little race there, just for the fun of it. I’ll give you a head start, of course.” The grin of excitement was clearly written across his face and he never stopped for a moment to consider how improper this sort of thing maybe.

But then again, he didn’t really care all that much. He felt like a kid with how giddy he was and for the first time in a long time Tim wasn’t bogged down with any sort of stress. He wanted to enjoy the feeling and as a natural-born thrill-seeker, this was the best way to do that.

Would Nana feel the same way though?

In a manner that was not all that different than what Nana had done a few moments prior, Timaeus raised one of his eyebrows and asked her a simple phrase that would kick start this race if she agreed, “ Shall we?”

A hearty laugh roared from Tim’s chest when Nana questioned the validity of the Baron’s adventures in Egypt. However, it wasn’t the mere fact that she thought that his story was nothing short of a tall tale that had the poor boy nearly in stitches. It was instead her reasoning that was so amusing. As if the fact that he had a beard nowadays somehow excused him from being identified as a man from under a burqa. “ I was sixteen at the time. Even though my younger self would vehemently protest, trust me when I say that the few stray hairs on my chin did not come close to a beard.” Timaeus chuckled as he subconsciously scratched at the short, well-trimmed mane on his face. Although, some of the older men at the Senate might laugh at it, Timaeus quite liked the look of his beard. If for no other reason, it made him look quite different from his brother; though of course that came with the trade-off that he looked more like a Kotas boy.

Oh well, anyone with common sense would probably be able to see that the Valaoritis wasn’t one of the crown princes of Colchis.

Right?

He nodded in affirmation when Nana connected the dots and realized that the burqa was probably the most conservative outfit in the known realm… and of course, it found its origins in the hottest realm. Timaeus didn’t understand the logic behind it either, but hey he wasn’t gonna complain too much as those piles of the fabric helped him and Adre get to the Valley of the Kings without too much trouble. “ I don’t think they were necessarily Egyptian, but instead were a fashion used by their neighbors?” He explained as if that would justify their presence, “ I can’t remember which one it was though.” He shot Nana an apologetic look as his memory failed to place the garment with the poor souls who thought having a heat stroke was the height of fashion. Timaeus could only hope that the poor ladies who had to wear the burqa on a daily basis had access to plenty of water. After all, he had only spent a few days in a burqa, but he swore that he sweated enough to fill the Nile!

The chuckles turned to flustered stammerings when the Leventi girl talked about finding ‘Fine company’ in Colchis. The false prince didn’t think it was that much of a leap to assume that Timaeus was somewhere in that mix if he was not the fine company. The boy could hardly believe his ears. It was still strange enough for the Leventi to seek out the company of some Colchian lord like him, but to complement his presence as being one that she would never forget? It seemed to be almost insane to the Baron. This was the sort of thing that would happen in his wildest dreams; not during a pleasant ride through the rocky slopes of Midas.

It was so surreal that it threw him a bit off balance when he spoke again, “ Ah, well they definitely grow on you after some time. I mean -- I would definitely pick the tall peaks of Colchis over the blistering sands of Egypt any day.” Although the Baron tried to play it cool, the flustered feeling that had consumed him shone through his words like a glaring spotlight on his rosy red cheeks, betraying his inner thoughts of joyful panic over how well things were going thus far. However, he did manage to gather his wits about himself for just long enough to throw in a cheeky comment of his own, “ Well perhaps if you enjoy this ‘fine company’ enough they might be willing to take such equally ‘fine company’ on their next adventure? To Athenia or a not-so-rocky part of Colchis? I believe I’ve heard such a rumor of a place existing...” The boy couldn’t help throwing the Leventi girl a knowing smirk as he took the opportunity to be as forward as the rules of their society would allow. Timaeus doubted that it would ever happen. Nana would eventually come to her senses and remember why girls in her family did not settle for foreign barons like Timaeus, but still, it didn’t hurt to let the girl know that whatever positive feelings she had towards him were mutual.

He wouldn’t dare mention anything about the c-word, r-word, or even the l-word. After all, even though it was clear to anyone who had eyes that the two of them had chemistry and were clearly attracted to each other; it would be far too much, far too fast. Though at the rate their chatter was going, it didn’t seem that outlandish to think that those forbidden topics would be coming up sooner or later.

Especially as Nana extended the very same offer to Timaeus just a few short moments after he had posed the possibility of exploring the parts of Greece that he knew with a tour of her own. “ I think I’d like that very much.” The boy answered with the biggest grin plastered across his face. Timaeus could think of nothing more pleasant than roaming the hills of Taengea with this beautiful blonde at his side. After all, the country of parties and wine had been quite an adventure when he had his two best friends in tow. He couldn’t imagine how much better it could be with a pretty girl being his tour guide. Timaeus knew that it would probably never happen, but he couldn’t help imagining hearing Nana’s light laugh on the breeze as the pair of them raced across some big, green open space. It seemed almost magical which was more than fitting for such an unattainable daydream.

“ But that’s enough about this barren rock I call home. Tell me about your home Nana. Is it true that the Leventis live on their own island? What’s that like?” Timaeus asked with genuine curiosity sparkling through in his expression. While the boy had been in Taengea all those years ago, the Colchian had only been to the mainland. The trio just didn’t see the point of visiting the little isles when they thought all the fun was in Vasiliadon. Timaeus would kick his young self if the boy knew what he was missing out on by not venturing to the Leventi shores.

The chatter continued until the duo made their way to the starting point of the race. Timaeus was glad to see that little glimmer in her eyes when the girl caught on to what the false prince had set up for the pair of them. He breathed a sigh of relief at that as Timaeus had secretly feared that the girl might see herself as far too haughty to lower herself to racing through the city streets. However, Timaeus had a sneaky suspicion from when he met her that she was the adventurous type. He was absolutely delighted to see that his assumption had been correct as he had barely gotten the words out before she was already gripping the reins.

Oh, this was going to be so much fun.

He cackled as he watched her take off right away. The boy couldn’t peel his eyes away from Nana as he watched her and Kore kick up a cloud of dust as they raced down the trail, her blonde hair flying behind her in the wind. A small pang settled in his stomach at the sight as his eyes hungrily drunk her steadily disappearing figure reach the bottom of the mountain path and turn towards the Naos. Seven Hades, he didn’t even realize that he was biting his lip at the sight until he tasted the slightest tang of copper fill his mouth.

Startled out of his thoughts, Timaeus reached up to wipe at his mouth as he watched the bolting horse disappear from his viewpoint. Once the blonde disappeared completely from sight, Timaeus started counting under his breath. He was, after all, a man of his word and he had promised Nana a headstart. However, the thought of literally chasing after the Leventi girl was just too alluring for the boy who was already too far gone without even knowing it. As a result, he rushed through the last few numbers, practically uttering them all at once “ Twenty-eight, twenty-nine, THIRTY!” He practically screamed the last one as he sharply dug his heels into the sides of Thrasos, giving the steed the signal he had been waiting for all afternoon.

The war horse thundered down the trail as Timaeus let loose a cascade of laughter as the wind tore through his hair; ruining that perfect style that he had spent forever laboring over that morning. He didn’t care though as he urged the Chestnut Andalusian to go faster, to find the other horse and it’s absolutely stunning rider once again. Luckily for him, electing to use his steed, a beast that was bred to tear across a battlefield, gave him an unfair advantage over Nana and her pretty mare. Under normal circumstances, the dappled grey equine wouldn’t stand a chance against the likes of Thrasos… but Timaeus already knew what the outcome of this race would be from the moment he thought of it. After all, how chivalrous would it be of him to beat his companion in a race?

However, Nana didn’t know that Timaeus planned to lose as her pale green chiton came into view once again. The Eubocrisan nearly lose his mind at the sight of her hair billowing out behind her as she turned to laugh at him as Thrasos closed the distance between the two steeds. If he didn’t have the adrenaline from the race flowing through his veins at that very moment, encouraging him to nudge Thrasos to go faster, he might have gone slack-jawed at the sight of her. Which was something that Timaeus was sure the girl was taking advantage of with every flashed grin at her matched by one from Timaeus in return as the pair tore through the streets.

Timaeus instinctively drew Thrasos to a halt when he saw Kore stumble, throwing his companion off balance. “ Nana!” He shouted with his fear that she was about to get hurt written clearly on his face as Thrasos reared up in response to the sudden change of pace. The Baron was petrified that the girl was about to be thrown from the saddle and trampled beneath the hooves of a horse, but to his utter shock, Nana managed to hold on long enough to right the mistake. His jaw dropped a bit as his eyes widened at the sight of it. It was safe to say that Timaeus did not expect Nana to have that level of equestrian skill. In fact, he was so shocked by it that he couldn’t help but give a low whistle. Clearly, he had been wrong when he initially thought that maybe this race was a bit too much for a lady like the Taengean courts. Nana knew what she was doing.

He was so shocked by this that Timaeus completely forgot that he had pulled Thrasos to a complete stop until he watched Nana disappear around a bend, thoroughly shaking the false prince out of his thoughts. Within an instant of him gathering his wits, Timaeus dug his heels into Thrasos’s side and encouraged the steed to take off once again.

Although, Timmy already knew going into this that he would be the loser, this delay solidified Nana’s victory. Thrasos just couldn’t close the distance as the wide clearing in front of the Naos of the Gods came into view and Nana was already there with Kore, both panting just as much as Timaeus and his steed as they drew to a stop next to them. “ Zeus, Rhea, and Kronos. Wow. I did not expect…” Timaeus sputtered out as he looked over the girl with such a goofy grin on his face. He had not expected things to go the way that they did, especially the bit where Nana showed off just how skilled she was. “ How did you do that? Anyone else would have been thrown from the saddle… but you… you stayed on!” Timaeus exclaimed in admiration as he dismounted his horse and took Thrasos by the reins. One hand instinctively went to tame his hair, which was now sticking up at all ends thanks to the wild winds of Midas completely wreaking havoc on his brown locks. Well at least, Nana looked just as tousled as he did. That way he wouldn’t look so foolish if it was just him.

“ However, I think a congratulation is in order... ” Timaeus said with a cheeky tone as he bowed out of respect to the victor of the race. It was joking, of course, especially as the pair had promised to toss aside all formalities at the beginning of their outing. Hopefully, Nana would play along. “ Nike was truly smiling upon you today.” He said as he rose and motioned for Nana to hop off her horse as well. There was one last location on Timaeus’s planned itinerary and he already knew that it would be easier if the two lead their beasts down as the sandy slopes might be treacherous for their tired horses.

“ I think we should celebrate your Victory, Nana,” The Baron said with a slight grin as he led the way to the edge of the rocky cliff. Once they were close enough to see what lay below, he was sure that Nana would be surprised to see a hidden cove looming into view. This locale was the best kept secret in Midas and was one of the few places in the capital that offered a semblance of privacy amid the hustle and bustle of the city. It was stunning, especially when the waves that were slowly lapping in the shallow waters were so calm, it was almost like they weren’t there at all. The spot was perfectly picture-esque.

However, even from this distance, Nana would be able to see the large cloth spread out on the sands and the faint flicker from the candles that were lit around a gorgeous meal that the Valaoritis staff had prepared for the couple. This picnic would be the crown jewel of the evening and Timaeus had taken every precaution to make sure that it was nothing short of perfect. He would accept nothing less when a Leventi was involved.

“ I do recall owing you a meal Lady Nana,” Timaeus said as he turned to his partner for the evening with a hopeful grin on his face, “ So would you grant me the honor of dining with you this evening?” As he spoke, he motioned his head to the pathway that would lead the way to their private cove for the evening. His eyes glittered with excitement as he watched the reaction of the girl he had through all this trouble for, hoping that he had done everything right and she would love it.

Timaeus didn’t know how things could be more perfect than this.

Timaeus couldn’t help the goofy grin that appeared on his face when he saw how Nana reacted to the picnic he had set up for the two of them in the cove. In truth, he was nervous that she wouldn’t like it and he had waited with bated breath as her brown eyes drifted from the ocean view to the few flickering candles dotting the sand below. He had feared that she would think it was too cheesy or he was pushing things forward too fast, but the gaggle of girls he had consulted in this matter had all reassured him that Nana would love it. The Colchian Baron was glad that he had listened to them over the nagging doubts that had plagued him as he ordered his slaves to set up such a beautiful scene.

It seemed impossible, but his smile only grew when she met his gaze and agreed to venture down the cliffside with him. Even though they were utterly alone on the cliff face, if anyone happened to wandered by the pair, they might laugh at how utterly lovesick the two of them appeared to be as they headed down the steep path to where the picnic waited for them. Timaeus tried to stay close to Nana and Kore, so that he might try to catch her if she stumbled on the rocky path -- after all, the gods only knew how many times he had lost his footing on this causeway in the past. However, there was no need as the Taengean was just as sure-footed as she was a skilled equestrian as she didn’t even stumble once before they reached the soft sands of beach below.

Once they were off of the path, Timaeus took Kore’s reins from the girl and led both horses a short distance away from where the picnic was spread out. Both horses were well trained enough that the Baron didn’t need to tie them to anything as he hurried back towards his companion for this makeshift feast, kicking his sandals off as he made his way back over to her. He glanced down at her own feet with a cheeky grin as Tim encouraged her to do the same. “The sand is far more comfortable than these stiff things,” Timaeus said with a chuckle as he threw his own shoes in the general direction of the horses. He knew that she would probably worry about what it would look like if the two of them were seen while they were here, but the Baron of Eubocris had the utmost confidence that this wouldn’t be an issue as this cove was so far out of the way of most Colchians wouldn’t bother to head out this way at such a late hour and even if they did, the night was quickly falling. It was unlikely that anyone would be able to see them from such a far distance with just candlelight to pierce the darkness.

However, that would require the sunsetting first, which was something they would have a perfect view of when the time came.

Timaeus was ready to settle down on the blanket and open the wine skien when he caught Nana’s hushed words of awe. They succeeded in bringing a small sheepish grin onto his face as the young man considered the fact that the girl before him would be surprised by his efforts to ensure that she had a wonderful evening. He knew that he was taking a risk in choosing to have them meet here instead of in some stuffy dining hall like most men of his position would if given the chance to woo someone who was both as beautiful and highborn as Nana was. The standard of their culture dictated that these sort of meals would happen in rooms lined with servants with at least seven feet between them as the pair of lovebirds sat on opposite ends of the table. Not to mention the sheer amount of chaperones that would need to be present. Timaeus didn’t want to do that. Not when he was already certain that Nana was not exactly the kind of meek, demure girl that their cultures demanded from nobble women like her. After all, she had lept headfirst into their race across the Midas hills without hesitation or protest. She was adventurous and wild, just like he was whenever he got a break from all of his duties. The two of them would be utterly bored to death by idle chitchat in such a setting. Not after they had already met at a feast that had been the center of so much chaos.

This was far more exciting.

“Well, yes... I thought you would like it,” He said with that same boyish grin that had been dancing across his expression for most of the evening. Until, of course, it momentarily faded from the worry that he was reading her reactions incorrectly--an irrational fear that was borne from the butterflies that had been twisting about his stomach from the moment that he had seen her on the steps of the Leventi manor. “You do like it, right?” Of course, she liked it. This was nothing more than a foolish fear of his. Timaeus knew it to be true, but still… it didn’t hurt to check.

At this point, Timaeus settled down onto the blanket laid out for the two of them as he reached for the wine and quickly poured out two glasses. The Baron motioned for the girl to join him as he handed her a goblet that was mostly full. Once the drinks were settled, Timaeus was quick to take a small sip to help calm his nerves before reaching for a few of the delicacies that were laid out before them. “I know it’s no feast, but I think the view makes up for it,” He said with a cheeky grin dancing across his face as he looked in the direction of the sunset that was dancing and reflecting off the waves. Bright reds and dazzling oranges practically blinded him, but not quite as much as the smile of the girl next to him.

“It’ll be a few minutes until the sunset.” He explained with a small shrug as he popped a few pieces of meat into his mouth, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything as beautiful as the view from this cove.” He continued, musing quietly as he next reached for some of the fruit, clearly famished after their jaunt through the city. Granted, he knew he was wrong. Not only were there places as equally beautiful in Taengea, which was was something that he hoped the girl would talk about without directly asking her, but he would have to say that even the glory of the sunset couldn’t compare to the girl next to him. Not that he would say that out loud, of course. That would be far too forward of him.

Though granted, he had only known the girl for a few short days and he was already arranging late-night picnics in a secluded cove. The two of them already barreled far past the definition of ‘bring too forward’ from the moment that they had met.

But there were some barriers that they had yet to cross and Timaeus couldn’t lie, he was tempted to throw caution to the wind every time he glanced at Nana’s lips. He really wanted to kiss her and if she could still see his face amid the darkening world around them, she might have noticed how the Baron was biting his lip. Timaeus knew that she was bold and willing to break the rules, but would she go as far as to break the one unspoken rule that had landed the Baron’s brother in so much trouble that he had nearly been killed multiple times for committing such a heinous crime?

As the two of them sat there enjoying the peace of the sunset, Timaeus couldn’t help, but wonder what a life with Nana would be like. It was almost a scary thought, considering possibly having a future with a girl that he only met a few days ago, but the Colchian wasn’t exactly a stranger to whirlwind romances either. After all, he had more flings than he could count on his hands, each of them barely lasting a few weeks if he was lucky. Those were somehow different though. Back then his heart was confined to the schedule of the ship that brought him from kingdom to kingdom. From the moment he stepped onto a shore, he knew that he would be leaving again soon enough, which made things easier in an odd sort of way. Tim could make promises to the girls he was tangled within their beds that they were ‘the one’ and that he would consider bringing them along in his adventures -- but he always knew in the back of his mind that this was a fool’s dream. Timaeus would always leave soon enough and they would be nothing more than a fond memory to look back upon soon enough.

Now, this was different. Timaeus wasn’t going anywhere. As much as he disliked it, Colchis was his home and it was unlikely that he would ever leave its shores again as he had to give up his military position. Instead of being a Captain that could lead forces in the North or have a promised spot in the brewing war against Egypt, he was a Baron whose place was in Eubocris. There were no more forced expirations on the inclinations of his heart. To say that was scary was a bit of an understatement as Tim really didn’t know how to love without the ever-looming understanding that there would be an ending coming sooner rather than later. Even the few flings that he had since returning to Colchis had not lasted long enough to break that expectation that things would be different.

This didn’t even consider that Tim was at a point in his life that he could not afford to have many short-term romances anymore. He was a Baron with an heir no one wanted to see bear the title that Tim sported at the moment. It was his duty to his family to marry and have sons to continue to the Valaoritis lineage, no matter how distasteful it sounded to the man who still craved that free, wandering life he would never have again. Marriage seemed like a sort of lock that would confirm that Timaeus was never leaving this rock again. Not to mention the equally vile part in that it was a tradition that the Valaoritis Baron marries someone from the province of Eubocris. Tim would rather pluck his own eyes out than tie himself to someone from that wretched province of his, but it wasn’t as if he could ignore the pressures to produce an heir for much longer either.

Maybe that was Timaeus was rushing so far ahead and thinking about how building a life with Nana seemed fairly appealing. He might not have known her for a long time, but already Tim was fully aware that she was unlike any girl he had ever met. She was adventurous and held no qualms about indulging in bending the rules for the sheer excitement of it. Honestly, Timaeus was not sure how she was Leventi as he had heard that they were all stuck up when he had been in Taengea all those years ago. However, that wasn’t Nana. She was fun. She was exciting. Timaeus would be proud to call her his wife if the fates decided that this was an option for them.

But that was a pretty big if, wasn’t it?

Timaeus knew that even though he would marry Nana in a heartbeat, the Leventis would not be as eager for this match. The beauty of Nana and her sisters was known throughout the entirety of Greece, now that Timaeus was lucky enough to get a glimpse of two of the sisters, he could see why. Fotios would have his pick of every possible suitor throughout the three kingdoms and even beyond them. What did one little military-based province in Colchis offer them? A few quarries? Seven hells, Eubocris didn’t even have a port that they could bring trade to as everything was landlocked. The Gorge was not the place that a shining Leventi gem was fit to spend her life. Timaeus knew this. He also knew that if these crazy thoughts that plagued his brain as the two of them watched the sunset came to fruition, he would not be able to provide Nana with the life that she had grown accustomed to in the lap of luxury. After all, the Valaoritis was not dripping in gold. It was an impossible dream. The reasonable part of Timaeus tried to remind him that there was no way that any of this would work.

But then she touched his hand.

Turning his head to her, Timaeus was quickly brought out of his fatalistic, but realistic, thoughts about what the future would hold to be confronted with a volley of butterflies rushing in his stomach at the sight of the girl across from him. He ducked his head slightly, still just as bashful as he had been this entire evening, but moved to grasp her hand in his. Lightly, of course, but still enough that this simple touch became something more. Nana might be concerned about how this simple action might be viewed, but all Tim cared about was scooting closer to her on the blanket, eager to lean into the small amount of intimacy Nana’s action offered. His fingers brushed against the back of her palm, absentmindedly drawing indistinguishable shapes as the Baron relished this serene moment.

He was so wrapped up in what was happening that he almost missed her quiet words, but his heart skipping a few beats in his chest as it heard what he did not at first. Would she? It seemed almost incredulous that the same girl that could marry any Kotas or Mikaelidas that she wanted was admitting that maybe life in Colchis wouldn’t be that bad. “Would you?” Timaeus immediately blurted out, his mouth moving before his brain could realize what he was saying, “Consider a life in Colchis, that is?” If his cheeks weren’t already bright red from both the sunlight and the red hot blood coursing through his veins, the young man would have turned beet red with the blush of lovesickness combined with embarrassment about being so forward.

“I know I’m not exactly a catch and you’re so high above me that it’s not even funny, but after the feast and today...” Timaeus paused, trying to put his words together in a way that would convey what he was feeling without moving things forward at such a breakneck pace that she would turn away from him. The last thing that he wanted to do was scare her off after all. Tim might have been the sort to fall hard and fast, but he was not bold enough to presume the same from Nana. “I know this might be a bit fast, but honestly? I think I’m falling in love with you.” His words were quiet towards the end, barely audible as he made a confession that he did not anticipate making that day as he went through the meticulous effort of ensuring that this entire night was perfect in every aspect. Never once had he ever considered saying as much and he hasn’t even considered that he was even developing a crush until the words were out there in the open and Tim could see how true that it was. Honestly, this had been staring them right in the face the entire time and it was only now that one of them had blurted it out were they actually considering it for what it was.

A low chuckle escaped Timaeus as he realized what he had done. You lovesick idiot, he quietly chastised himself, What the ever-loving fuck were you thinking? There was a part of him that wished he could take his words back and forget that he had ever said anything in the first place, but it was too late for that. It was out there. He had said those magic words. As the realization dawned on him that he might have majorly screwed everything up, Timaeus tried to backtrack a bit by talking to fill the awkward silence. “I mean, you’re nothing like any other girl I met before. After all, who else would agree to a horserace through Midas? And I get these weird butterflies whenever I look at you. I might be crazy or the gods are just being cruel, but genuinely Nana…”

Okay, now he really must sound like a madman. He shut his mouth at that point, shaking his head as he realized how badly he might have fucked up, but he really couldn’t deny how he was feeling anymore. It was so obvious what was happening and how bright the spark was between them. But this? He was insane. Absolutely insane.

“Point is… if you want to build a life here in Colchis. I want to be in Nana. I don’t care how. It doesn’t matter to me what we have to do, but I want to do that with you.” He quietly confessed whilst bracing himself for how his whirlwind paramour was going to react to such a surprise confession...