"I came t' find ye, o' course. I have an answer fer ye proposal. I talked t' me Mum 'n' brother 'n' they've permitted me t' accept yer proposal about th' Ball," Lori said with a deep blush, a warm smile adorning her lips as she spoke.

--

Shinorah smiled as she looked at Lucina, "Oh we'll be fine, dear. 'n' I expect lit'le Johnny will be 'round more often since I'm suspect Lori's got an inkling fer 'im," Shinora added with a wink.

"Then it's all set'led," Adrian said with a grin, "We'll leave t'morrow afternoon."

"Really?" Johnny asked, his smile widening if that was at all possible. The group of boys directed their attention away from their soaking wet friend and turned to the two people talking.

A few whooted and hollered at them and Johnny heard one whistle approvingly but his attention never left Lori. "Tha's great news." He smiled shyly as he stepped a bit closer to Lori, tuning out his friends behind him. "If ye 'r' in town for a wee bit woul' ye like to go fo' a walk?" He asked curiously.

~~~

"That sounds great. And Johnny seemed like a sweetheart." Lucina smiled happily before taking another bite of her eggs, not even noticing that they were nearly ice cold now.

"Sure, I'd like that," Lori said with a smile, pointedly ignoring his friends as well.

--

Shinorah nodded in agreement, "I couldn't agree more, love."

Johnny was smiling to wde to form a reply as he pocketed the rest of his quarters and ushered Lori out of the courtyard where his friends remained, growing smaller as the two walked away. "I didn' see ye at th' festival." Johnny noted as he looked over at the gypsies who were finishing packing up to move on with their show. "Did ye come down t' see the firebreathers? It was quite th' show." He mused.

~~~

Lucina only smiled as she finished the remainder of her breafast before bringing her dishes to the sink to rinse them. "What chores need to be done this morning?" She asked as she scrubbed at her plate in the sink.

"Yes, I did. Bu' Adrian was too busy with Lucina t' take me so I went with me Mum. We didn' stay long, though," Lori explained with a sigh. "Did ye enjoy th' festival?"

---

"Jus' th' laundry, Lucina," Shinorah replied with a smile as she stood from the kitchen table and headed into the living room to begin the folding and mending.

"Ye shoulda stayed fo' th' firebreathers. It was incredible. Bu' there should be more festivals comin'." Johnny said with a smile as they left the gypsies behind them and continued down the cobbled roads in the village. "Bu' if Adrian is to busy with tha' fiancee o' his again I could show ye around."

~~~

"Alright." Lucina called back as she picked up Shinorah's dishes as well and began to wash them in the sink also.

Lori blushed as she looked up at Johnny, "That'd be nice, I'd really like tha'. Ye wouldn' mind takin' me t' the festival?"

--

Adrian smiled as he walked over to Lucina and placed a tender kiss upon the back of her head, "I'll start gettin' us packed."

"No' at all." Johnny said with a shy smile back at Lori before losing his nerve and focusing his eyes forward again. "Besides, it'd be a shame if ye didn' get t' see the show. I think ye'd like it." He said as his hands slowly wrung together again from nerves. He wasn't sure what it was about Lori that turned him into such a nervous wreck though it wasn't an entirely unpleasant feeling.

~~~

Lucina smiled as she felt Adrian's lips on her head and turned quickly to give his lips a swift kiss as well. "Can't wait." She said excitedly before retrieving the rest of the dishes from the table and hurrying to finish washing them.

"It is, 'n' I do love it. Me mum can't walk around for too long before she starts t' get weak 'n' her legs. It's a shame, for she loves th' festivals as much as I do. I just wish they were closer t' home. Perhaps then I'd be able t' stay longer," Lori said with a small smile.

--

Laughing, Adrian ascended the staircase and headed up to his room to begin packing a trunk.

"Perhaps." Johnny smiled shyly down at Lori, his red hair bouncing on top of his head as he walked. "Have things been gettin' better a' home with tha' girl?" Johnny asked curiously, hoping he wasn't pressing any of her buttons by mentioning Adrian's fiancee.

Lori scowled as she looked down at her feet, "Hardly. I don' believe I'll ever like tha' woman. She's mouthy, stubborn, 'n' nosier than an old crone. She really is vile. But I don' want t' burden ye with me belly-achin' o'er it," Lori added with a blush and a small laugh.

"If its botherin' ye I don' mind listenin'." Johnny smiled supportively. "Wha' happened tha' maked her so nasty?" He inquired as he looked over at Lori and hoped that she wouldn't find him as nosy as an old crone as well.

"Oh she was jus' tellin' me wha' t' do, like she knew me. Tellin' me I ought t' give ye a chance th' minute I told me mum a' breakfast abou' yer proposal. I hadn't even told 'er I'd 'ave liked t' accept ye, she jus' barged in with her opinions 'n' her orders," Lori explained with a sigh, "She does things like this all th' time. It just aggravates me is all."

Johnny blushed despite himself as he walked along the path with Lori. "Well I'm findin' it a bit hard t' hate the girl when she suggested tha' ye say yes in me askin' ye to the ball." He teased softly. "Bu' I'm glad ye didn' change yer mind just to spite her." He added with a small smile at the girl next to him.

"I wouldn' give 'er tha' satisfaction. I'd rather follow me own mind 'n' make me own decisions. Besides, I want t' go t' th' ball with ye. I'm honored ye want t' take me. I thought fer sure ye were int' other girls 'n' would want t' take them," Lori admitted with a laugh as she smiled up at him.

"Ye wouln't need t' worry about other girls." Johnny laughed as he looked forward, feeling a bit braver then before. "They haven't go' a thing on you, Lori." He said before blushing several shades of red, looking down at the ground, not daring to meet Lori's eyes.

Lori blushed a dark scarlet as she looked down at her feet, slightly away from Johnny's direction, "'Tis not kind t' jest, Johnny."

Johnny felt his eyebrows raised in disbelief and as he looked over at Lori he felt a stirring of courage in his stomach that hadn't been there previously. So with the help of some bravery-as he didn't know how long it would last-Johnny cast a smile in Lori's direction. "I can assure ye I don't jest about such things." He said calmly and felt his neves starting to crack again. "Yer beautiful, Lori and I'm glad I roped ye into goin' with me before some other boyo could sweep ye off yer feet." He said before the blush reappeared on his cheeks as he eagerly awaited her response.

Lori's blush deepened as she wrapped her arms around her chest, "Other men only want t' take advantage, believin' a country girl has no morals 'r standards. I don' trust 'em. Bu' I trust you," Lori added with a warm smile as she looked up at Johnny.

"I'm glad." Johnny said as he felt his legs turn a bit wobbly underneath him. "I would ne'er try 'n' take advantage of ye. I know yer better then tha'. And besides Adrian would be after me if I tried anythin'." Johnny teased as they continued to walk aimlessly.

"Mmm, I think Adrian wouldn' put i' past me. I believe he thinks I run 'round with most boyos," Lori admitted softly, "Sees it as a possible way t' get back a' him fer Lucina."

"Bu' I think Adrian knows ye well enough t' know yer not that kinda girl." Johnny smiled at her and surprised himself by reaching out and taking one of Lori's hands, bringing them both to a halt. "Bu' maybe ye could skip tryin' t' get back at him and jus' be goin' to the ball with me instead of finding plenty o' other boyos as well?" He asked with a small grin before releasing Lori's hand and looking forward again. "Would ye mind if I escorted ye back t' yer house? Wouldn't wan' those other boys creepin' up on ye and tryin' t' take advantage of ye." He said as he looked over to the road that wound its way back to the Sarlins' farm house.

Lori laughed as she took Johnny's hand into hers, linking their fingers together, "I'd like tha'."

Johnny blushed several shades of red as his fingers interlinked with Lori's though he didn't pull away. "Alrigh' then." Johnny said as he led Lori up the road towards her farmhouse.

"Johnny? Can I ask ye somethin'?" Lori asked softly as she looked up at Johnny, a blush apparent upon her cheeks.