#valorandsarcasm

Nanna glanced down, mostly to hide the fact that her smile grew some as Baldr pushed the bench over in his haste to stand and greet her. She glanced up and nodded, moving around the table to sit down next to the blond. She took a moment for Baldr to at least try and calm down his probably racing heart. If his face was so red it stood to reason that his heart was hammering away. Casting her gaze around the room in a brief sweep that caused it to land on the male sitting next to her she smiled. "So, if I may be so bold, how is it that you are sitting here all on your own? One would think that you would have plenty of offers to dance and make merry, or at the very least make conversation." It was well known that Baldr was a friendly sort, even if some of the women disagreed. From what she had seen of him, he was friendly, and charming even.

 "O-oh, I was...earlier, I was surrounded really, I did not know what to do, there were so many people all trying to speak with me, it wasn't until mother shoed them away that I was able to come up with some topic to speak of, but by then they were taken by other guests," he said, not realizing that the girls had been vying for his attentions and his mother had realized it before him. "But...I am pleased to speak with you now," he said smiling at her, feeling a little more at ease, though his cheeks were still pink.

 Nanna hummed softly, she could understand that. At times she had much of the same problem. Though as a prince, Baldr probably had that issue more often than not. She returned his smile with one of her own. "And I you. Pleased to be speaking with you that is, not that I'm pleased that you're pleased to be speaking with me now. I am that too however." She glanced away from him for a moment, her own cheeks now holding a faint pink tint. She gazed upon some couples dancing for a heartbeat before turning her attention back to Baldr. "What was the topic that you had thought of?"

He grinned a bit, she was funny, he really liked that, it was sweet. "Ah...well...looking back, it was not that exciting, just the prospect of the courtiers from Alfheim and Vanaheim and the Dwarves coming for the Great Hunt in a few weeks...the Elves like to croud me for some reason..."

"Perhaps they do so for your conversational skills." Nanna teased lightly, the blush fading. "I do enjoy the stories they bring with them. Though I may sit out on some of the feasts. Everyone in one room can get a little too wild for my taste." Not only due to the sheer volume of noise that each race could produce but she was often the victim of tactless dancing that left her with sore feet. She did enjoy more things than not, so perhaps she would just bear it. It wasn't as if this happened often. She supposed she could always leave if she desired. "Are you excited for the Great Hunt?"

 "Oh, yes, that must be it," he laughed, "Aye, I do as well, it is sometimes more than I like to participate. I like to walk around the gardens when it becomes too much," he admitted. "Oh yes! Their stories, I share them with my brother as often as I can, I am hoping to bring him along to hear them this year," he smiled. "Ah, as excited as I can be, I suppose, I am not yet old enough to attend the actual hunt," he shrugged, he could go to the parties, but the hunt was for the /men/.

 "Well, if you ever desire company on those walks, I would be only too happy to join you Baldr." Nanna smiled shifting slightly in her seat. She paused a moment, trying to figure out which brother he meant. Loki and Thor surely had heard these stories before, oh yes, Hodr. "I'm sure that he enjoys hearing you tell them, you strike me as a very good storyteller. And I should like to meet him as well. I hope he can come."

She nodded, it made sense. She couldn't go either, not only was she not old enough she was also a woman. Not that she wanted to go regardless. "Well you can look forward to going one year. Perhaps you shall even slay a great beast and win the heart of a maid~" That is if he could keep up the conversation. He seemed to have little trouble with her however. "Do you dance?" Well, that question had come out of nowhere.

He smiled, "He does, they are all he looks forward to these days, so I can spill the stories I have collected throughout," he said. "Oh I am fair, he tends to end up laughing at me most days though," he shrugged. "Perhaps," he smiled.

"In a few, yes," he said, "Ahaha, perhaps," he agreed with a laugh, and then he blinked at her, "Well...yes..."

"Ahhh does that mean that I am to be in a story?" Nanna grinned, she suspected not but it was made in jest. "Perhaps he just finds them amusing." "Lucky woman I'm sure." She looked at him for a moment, before glancing out at the couples on the floor. They had thinned out since the pair had started to talk. "Would you like to dance? With me?"

 "Of course," he said seriously, and then shook his head, "No, I do not think that is the case," because many of his stories were not humorus at all. "Which woman?" he asked, confused. "I...oh yes, of course," he stood and then offered her his hand.

Nanna blinked, that was not what she had expected. She was rather flattered, you could even read it on her face by the flush on her cheeks. "I suppose I shall take your word on it." She grinned and chuckled, "Which ever woman has her heart stolen by you of course." Her smile seemed to get brighter by his willingness to dance with her and she placed her hand in his, letting her fingers curl around his palm as she stood.

 He smiled, "I am told my word is rather easy to trust," he said, he was not yet a 'god' but still light and truth applied to him very intimately.

"Oh, I would never be so rash as to steal a heart, that is arrogant and cold," he said, then smiled and led her to the floor, taking on the stance his mother had showed him.

 "Whoever told you that did not lie." It was very much the truth, there was just something about him. In fact, she wasn't sure if he could lie at this point.

"Ahh, well this woman has just become even luckier then. You shall win hers and she shall win yours and you will both treasure the gifts you have." She fell into the stance that was required of her for this dance. This was something that had come easily with her. Just as light and truth seemed bound within Baldr, grace and beauty seemed to be the same with her. Not that she was actively aware of either. The music started and then she smiled up to him as they started to move.

 "No, they did not," he smiled.

He shrugged, "I am not all that worried, marriage is not something I will need to think about for a long time yet," he said, he hadn't even considered it, he was still technically a kid, at least in his brother's eyes, and his best friends, but Leis was an old fart anyway. "It will happen when it is meant to, I see no point in delegating about it, it will happen."

He led her, as he was meant, looking her over, she was really lovely, stange though, that she seemed to be caught up on him finding a maiden...many others always said the same things, he just did not understand.

Nanna smiled and shook her head. "Well, when you put it like that there can be no doubt." She looked off for a moment, if only she had that luxury. Her mother, while more forward thinking than others, still tried to drill it into her head that a possible union was to be looked for. She did however want her daughter to marry for love as she had. So she took the advice, but looked for friends instead. For how could she marry if she did not even like anyone?

Those thoughts were quickly shaken from her. She did not like the road they could lead down. For lack of another topic at the moment she opted for silence, until another came to her. "Where in the gardens do you take your walks when the festivies become too much?"

 "Oh I do not really have a favorite part, I like it all, it is warm and bright and lovely to walk through," he said, leading the dance with ease.

Nanna nodded in agreement as they moved around the floor. They moved well together. "I like the area with the Coumbines the most, they are my favorite flower. There is a bench that I enjoy using as well."

 "Aaah...which ones are those?" he asked, he didn't actually know the names of the flowers just what they looked like.

The Asgardian glanced down and smiled, giggling once. "They are the ones that are bell shaped with blade-like petals. The area that I like has blue ones, blue and white ones with yellows sprinkled among them."

 "Aaah, I know of the area you speak," he smiled, spinning her around once, "We will have to walk there some time."

Nanna smiled widely, freely, and with delight as she was spun. Coming back to rest in Baldr's arms. "That would be my pleasure Baldr."

"Wonderful," he smiled at her again, and then stumbled a bit causing him to hold her closer, so she didn't fall, but she didn't so he let her go, flushing, "I am sorry, my lady!"

She squeaked softly as she was pulled close, an action she wasn't expecting as Baldr stumbled. She blinked as she was released, her own hands fluttering about her outfit. As if to make sure that everything should be as it was, which it was, the action was more due to her own embarrassement. "No, no, my lord. I just did not expect to held so close suddenly." She glanced around and then looked to him once again. "I think we may want to start dancing or get off the floor. I fear we may be run down." She was flushing nearly as bad as he was.

 "A-ah! Yes!" he said, and wasn't sure what to do so he went to maybe dance again, but that was akward so his hands just went up and down and then he coughed and headed off of the floor.

As Baldr moved back towards her like he was going to keep dancing Nanna moved to mirror him. But he stopped and started to move off the floor. So needless to stay she followed, that is until they were off the floor. She had no idea if he still wanted her company or not at this point.

 He swallowed and then found his seat again, feeling very embarrassed, but he turned to her again, "Aah...so what...or who brought you tonight?"

 Nanna paused, she was about to turn and rejoin her friends. But considering that Baldr still wanted her company she sat down next to him once again. Giving him a confused stare. "My friends I suppose. Although my parents had a hand in it as well. Why do you ask?"

 "I-I...well I-..." he flushed deeper, "I did not know what else to ask," he admitted, "I am sorry, I- If I am keeping you, please, I was just-" his whole face was read now.

 "Oh." Was Nanna's quiet reply. "You are not. I was the one who came too seek you out." She looked away, he was nearly as red as his brother's cape.

"O-oh okay," he nearly squeaked, looking down and playing with his hands nervously, "I um-well...you..." what was he supposed to say next? "You have nice hands!"

 "I-thank you." Nanna glanced down at her hands. "I suppose they are." Where did that one come from? "Your hands are nice as well." Which wasn't a lie.

 "Oh thank you!" he returned, now feeling like he should have followed after Loki, he was just making a mess.

Nanna was about to say something but it died on the tip of her tongue as her friends walked over. 'Nanna we are retiring for the night, are you joining us?' She sighed softly and nodded. "I suppose I should if you are all leaving." The girls nodded and started to move on as she stood. She paused and looked to baldr with a smile. "Thank you for the lovely night baldr. I enjoyed our dance and look forward to that walk you promised me." With those words spoken she leaned over and pressed a light and quick kiss to his cheek before hurrying off, hoping that he wouldn't see the deep red her face had become.