"It's not your fault M'lord."she said smiling weakly. Vinty hopped beside him and quickly sat at the table with him. She looked around at everyone having a good time talking and walking around then looked back at the young lord.
"You may..."she whispered nodding and wondering if the result was bad. Vinty met his gaze and smiled in aproval and let him look at her hurt ankle.
"M'lord...is it badly injured?"she asked softly. The pain was rising and occasionally would rise up her leg and then calm back down.

Taking Vinty's injured ankle delicately in his hands, the youth inspected it. Gently touching the front of her leg, he looked up at her. "Does this hurt?" he asked in a quiet tone, trying not to move the joint. "I will let you know how bad it is once we find out what it is," Lye said with a smile, forcing his eyes away from the woman and back to her ankle. "Does it hurt when I touch here?"
-

Seeing her fall, Dar'ian bit his lip. After she was seated with Da Vinci by her side, the musician headed over slowly, trying not to draw too much attention to them. "Does she need the doctor?" he asked, standing not too far from them.

Vinty winced as he touched her ankle.
"Yes, very much M'lord...I'll just wait here, you go have a good time, I don't want to be a bother M'lord."she said and turned to Dar'ian as he approached.
"Hello, and I'm not sure...I think I just need to give it some time to heal that is all."she said wincing as the young lord continued to feel her ankle.
"Please don't worry much you two, you are much too kind."she said smiling weakly.

"I believe it's broken," Lye muttered under his breath, carefully letting Vinty's foot rest on his chair as he inspected it. Dar'ian nodded to the woman before shaking his head.
"It's not broken," he said, glancing at Vinty before kneeling beside Da Vinci's chair and softly pointing a few things out. "It isn't swollen enough here," the musician commented, and then explained that it would already be bruising badly if it were a broken ankle. "It must be a bad sprain."
Lye raised an eyebrow, regarding Dar'ian for a moment before nodding. "I see." I'm impressed. "Then I suppose we need to wrap it to keep it steady." Tugging on the sleeve of his dark shirt, the young lord stood, looking around the room. "I will have someone bring some bindings."
"And ice," Dar'ian said, tilting his head and helping Vinty's foot rest gently on the ground. Lye nodded, and then stepped off toward some of his own people. Brown eyes moving to Vinty's, the harpist smiled a bit. He stood, moving to stand behind her chair instead of take lord Da Vinci's. "Are you thirsty?"

Vinty quietly listened to what they said and was relieved to know it was just badly sprained.
She nodded towards the young lord as he left and sighed.
Her eyes went automatically to Dar'ian. "Some water would be nice, thank-you. What will I have to do now?"she asked him frowning.
"Do I have to sit forever, or do I need to lie down forever until it gets better?"she asked wincing as the pain rose up her leg and dropped again to just her foot and ankle.
"I've never sprained anything much less broken it...so this is a bit new to me."she said smiling meekly.
She looked down at her ankle and back at Dar'ian.
"This is horrible, I thank-you though for inviting me here. I'm having such a great time, but don't worry...a sprained ankle shoudn't keep you both from the party. You both should enjoy yourselves, go converse with guests, I'll watch."she added.

Looking down at Vinty, the musician chuckled. "You just need to stay off of it as best you can," he replied, smiling when she said she'd never hurt herself to such an extent before. The male then moved to get her a glass of water, and when he returned, he shrugged. "I don't do much conversing," he admitted, handing the water to the woman. "Never have been able to get along with noble-folk."
-

Lye was across the room, speaking with a couple of people. One of them took off quickly, but the second remained, nodding and responding to whatever Da Vinci had said.

"I see...but you seem to get along with me just fine."she answered shrugging.
"Thank-you."she added as she took the water which was handed to her.
"I actually would like having someone to talk to now. I feel like a sick person who can't do much and is alone."she added chuckling. Vinty noticed that one of the people the young lord was speaking to had run off quickly. He was probably off to get the bindings. The other that stayed was probably being told what happened. She didn't know, but that's what it looked like.
"How are YOU today though?"she asked turning back to him.

((If I don't get to this, remind me to post. :XD I haven't finished reading, and I have to go. :cry:))

"Other than the incident with my instrument," Dar'ian motioned toward his harp, "I've been doing well. Even more so after seeing you here." He tilted his head slightly, long hair falling about his face. "I wasn't certain you'd come."
It was then that Lye began to head back over toward them. "And I certainly was surprised when Lord Da Vinci took an interest in you." His brown eyes lit up with a spark of playfulness. "Congratulations. It's rare that he actually becomes interested in a woman."

"I;m sorry for what happened, but I never go back on my word. Mother told me that going back was not good and it made people angry."she said and smiled back at him and removed some hair from his face. "When I first came here, I had trouble getting through the gate. But Lord Da Vinci helped me get through and that's ho I'm at this wonderful party." she said than turned to the young lord then back at Dar'ian.
"Really? well thank-you, I am just as surprised! I thought he just liked me as a friend!"he said completely surprised.

Dar'ian blushed a bit, and then turned his face away from the woman. "I hope I didn't offend you," he said quietly, shaking his head. "But he does seem rather friendly around you." After she brushed his hair from his face, his blush intensified, and he briskly stood as soon as Da Vinci was back.
-

"They'll return with things to bandage your ankle," Lye said, running a hand through his short hair. "How's it feeling?"

"You didn't Dar'ian."she said smiling when he turned away blushing. Her attention was then taken to the young lord.
"I can only feel it when it is touched, and it sends a stream of pain at times up my leg then back down."she said and smiled at him.
"Thank-you for caring My lord. Well I thank you both for taking your time to help a....person of my status."she said. Vinty was so close to saying an elf like her, but by a miracle, she didn't. Vinty continued to look at them both then at the other dancing people.

Lye smiled at Vinty, taking a seat beside her. He glanced to Dar'ian, and motioned for the musician to join them before taking the pitcher of water and pouring each of them a drink. As soon as he'd passed it to each of his new friends, the young lord looked up to find the servant returning with bandages and a small towel full of ice.
"We need the swelling to go down," Da Vinci said apologetically, taking the ice and carefully lifting Vinty's foot. "The ice helps with that." Gently pressing the pack to her ankle, he watched her face, blue eyes anxious.
-

Dar'ian stayed silent, merely thanking Lye for the water and sipping it slowly while watching. Poor thing. In more ways than one. He refused to admit to himself that he was feeling the slightest twinge of jealousy, and merely forced the thought away as quickly as he could. She wasn't his. So why make a big deal out of it?
Lost in his own thoughts, the youth set his glass down and pulled his long layered hair back behind his shoulders, using a leather strip from his pocket to tie it back. Unfortunately it didn't keep it out of his face - it was far too layered for that. Watching quietly, Dar'ian sighed inwardly.

"Thank-you..." she whispered and drank the water slowly. When the servant arrived with the equipment, she became nervous and her eyes were on the ice. "What? O-okay then." she said nervously. As the young lord gently placed the ice on her ankle, Vinty winced and held back the urge to cry out. Don't cry Vinty, elves are much stronger than they appear to be...besides, what would your two new friends, a young lord and a wonderful musician think if they saw that? They would hate you and let you suffer. Don't cry, calm down. she thought to herself and looked back at the young lord with a weak smile. A while later, a stream of pain came up her leg quickly and went back down, this caused her breathe heavily.

Lord Da Vinci watched Vinty's face intently, and nearly moved the ice away from her ankle when he saw the slightest twinge on her features. It was then that the woman smiled weakly, and Lye merely returned the expression, keeping the ice where it was. "Do you have a ride home?" the noble asked, his blue eyes moving back to the woman's ankle as he gently shifted the ice to better form to her leg.
-

A soft expression overcame Dar'ian's face as he watched Vinty brave through the pain. He knew she was in pain - it was written in the way she stiffened slightly. The musician frowned ever so slightly, and then turned his brown eyes to the dancers that were still out on the floor.

((LOL, they both like her . . . :XD Dang. Well, which one do you like more? If you choose (kinda) right now, then I can give the other more of a mentor-like role. :yes: or something like that. :lol:))

((I like them both! not fair...this is hard!))
Vinty calmed herself down as the pain faded and shook her head at the young lord's question.
"No M'lord..but not to worry I live close by...I can make it on my own thank-you. I'll...hop home." she said smiling.
No you won't, once you leave here...you're going to sleep under the first tree you find...you won't make it there before you hurt yourself some more. she thought to herself.
"I just don't want to be a bother." she added quietly.

Lye and Dar'ian seemed to be sharing the same thoughts. They shared a glance before both men shook their heads. "Are you busy after this, Dar'ian?" When the musician shook his head, the young lord smiled a bit. "Vinty, would you mind if he took you home?" His blue eyes narrowed. "I would love to accompany you myself, but I'm afraid my peers won't let me slip away without talking to quite a few of them. The party is only so long, I'm afraid."
Dar'ian's brown eyes lingered on Da Vinci for a moment, and he looked slightly startled - but he nodded. He would take the woman home, if she allowed it.

((Heheh, I might just force you to have Dar'ian as more of a mentor/assistant. *laugh* If you can't choose I'll . . . uhm, well . . . I don't know. :XD LOL))

((I should have made two characters! But okay...I guess I'll choose the young lord...))

Vinty watched as the two gentlemen exchanged glances. She then was surprised that Dar'ian would take her home...home to a forest. "I understand M'lord...and I won't mind at all. Thank-you for all you both have done, I had such a wonderful time." she said smiling and keeping her ears hidden.

Lye slowly stood again, taking Vinty's hand and kissing her knuckles. "Perhaps I will see you again soon," the dark-haired youth said hopefully, glancing at her face before smiling a bit. "I do enjoy your company." Turning to face the dance floor, Da Vinci sighed, and waved slightly to Vinty, stepping toward a group that seemed to be waiting for him to stop by.
-

Watching as Lye walked away, Dar'ian cleared his throat, leaning against the empty chair. "Are you ready to leave now," he asked quietly, his brown eyes lingering on her ankle, "or do you wish to stay a while longer?"

Vinty looked over at the young lord and waved back then turned to face Dar'ian.
"I guess I should leave then. I had such a wonderful time...I sadly don't think I'll be coming back..." she replied sadly.
Vinty wasn't sure if she could trust him with her secret of actually being an elf.

Dar'ian frowned worriedly, and then tilted his head in question. "Was it something that happened?" he asked, sounding genuinely concerned. "If it was, then I do apologize. No one here means you harm, Vinty." His gentle frown stayed in place, but the musician extended a hand to help her to her feet. "I do hope you'll consider returning soon."
Wrapping one arm about her waist as soon as she was on her feet, Dar'ian helped keep the weight off of her wounded ankle. Nothing about his actions was meant to be offensive or rude, suggestive, and the man certainly wasn't flirting. If anything he was merely trying to keep her from going through more pain. Leading the elf to the door, Dar'ian kept silent for a few moments. "Which way do we need to go?" he asked quietly, his brown eyes lingering on the few guests who were still arriving. It was going to be a late night for Da Vinci.

"I'm not coming back because I can't. No one did anything bad to me....but I don't think I'd be welcomed again. I'll try to go back once my ankle feels better." she said. When they left the castle, she looked at him and smiled.
"Take me to the woods where you first met me....I live there..."said hoping he would remember. She missed the young lord already but was happy to be with Dar'ian.

Dar'ian smiled at Vinty, helping her along. "The woods," he repeated, nodding. He'd passed through them just the previous day. What a strange place to live. "You aren't noble by blood, are you?" The question wasn't meant as a threat or to pry, but the male was merely inquiring into her life. The only reason she had been allowed into the castle, if she wasn't noble-born, was because he'd invited her.

Vinty smiled as they left to the woods carefully. She listened to his question and sighed as she shook her head.
"No...I'm what you may call a peasant..." she said and looked at him. Vinty sighed and noticed they were closer to her home now.
"We're almost there..." she whispered and couldn't wait to just lay down under a tree and sleep.

"I do hope to see you soon," Dar'ian said after a small silence. "I'm sure both of us will be missing you quite a bit." Glancing around, the musician frowned a bit. He didn't see any homes. . . .

((:XD Sorry it's so short. I don't know what to do at this particular scene. :lol:))