The Great Sea

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

((Suddenly a giant hand came out of no where and smacked Maryann into the sand face first.))

Calvin waved back with a huge grin and dived under the surface. He was glad that Ivy was swimming the water with him, or at least enjoying it, and not Maryann. He surfaced occasionally to breath or to just watch Ivy, but otherwise immersed himself in water.

Rocky raised an eyebrow as he read the latest invitation to preform at a dance. Apparently it was for a ball at a place owned by a Mr Nelson. "Hey Zib, any idea where this is? Ive been looking on maps for ages and i cant seem to see it." He showed him a map a bit abruptly. "Do you know where it is?"

[carabadgermum]

After a few minutes Ivy started to become annoyed that Calvin was spending more time swimming than he was paying attention to her. "Calvin," she called out to him with the beginnings of a pout. "Don't you think it's about time we were on our way?" She really couldn't wait to see what he looked like dressed up in a suit and she was looking forward to showing him off among all her friends. She looked back to where Maryann was still dutifully waiting for them on the driftwood log and smirked. She knew Mary didn't want to go along with another one of her schemes but she was convinced of the other maid's loyalty.

"Come along, Calvin," she called once more in the direction of the male and walked back up the beach to where her shoes were waiting for her.

((imperious little thing, ain't she? Once they're actually sailing he'll be able to take a little more control. i promise. Oh and you must, not in this post but the next one, have Calvin help her put her shoes on.))

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

Calvin surfaced upon hearing his name and looked to Ivy. "Aw..." he moaned, ears drooping is dismay. He swam over to a rock outcropping in the water and shook himself. Looking back at Ivy, he waved again, grin replacing his unhappy frown He hoped he would be able to swim more often in his future on his boat.

Running in water was relatively difficult, but for Calvin, still fun. So, in a streak of fun, he ran as fast as he could to the land. Water sprayed in all directions from his run, and he grinned when he got close to Ivy.

[carabadgermum]

Ivy shrieked with delight when the spray hit her and she laughed, "Oh Calvin. You'll have me soaking."

Maryann was also dampened by the spray. She stood huffily and walked several paces away.

Ivy sat, still laughing on the driftwood log and began to pull on her stockings. She had worked out everything in her mind and was sure that everything would go swimmingly. "We'll sneak you in the servants entrance at Maryanns house, and up to her brother's old room. You can put on one of his suits and then sneak back down and come along with me to my house. That's where the ball is to take place." She would have gone on with her perfect plan had her left boot not become wedged on her damp stocking. "Oh drat! Calvin, will you help me please?"

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

Calvin stopped in the middle of putting on his shirt, and scrambled to see why he was required, accidentally putting half his head through the hole where his arm went. "Uh, right away, Miss Ivy." He struggled a bit to reassert the shirt over his head, and he slipped it on quickly to rush over.

After dealing with neighboring children for a bit of his life, he knew how to handle shoes, so this was a minor problem he could fix with ease. "Alright, we just pull it off and...Voila." He held the now-correctly applied shoe in his hands, and looked up at Ivy.

He opened his mouth to say something, but found himself staring at her longingly.

[carabadgermum]

Perhaps it was the way he was looking at her or the feel of his paw on her ankle but Ivy couldn't stop the small gasp of pleasure to escape from between her lips. She mirrored is expression.

Maryann once again turned her back on the couple. Imagine Ivy allowing this nobody to touch her that way. It was more than scandalous. It was downright shameful. "I'm going to tell your mother!" Mary announced and started to march up the dune.

"No Mary please!" Ivy called out after her. She reached one paw out as if to stop her friend. The other rested atop Calvin's in a gesture letting him know she wanted him to stay where he was as well. "He hasn't done anything wrong. I asked him for his help. Please Mary, Mother doesn't need to know about this."

Against her better judgment, Maryann stopped walking and stood with her arms folded over her chest, still not looking at the two ridiculous cats on the beach below her.

"Now," Ivy said softly, smiling back down at Calvin once again. She held out her second footpaw to him. "The other shoe, if you please." Then she leaned closer to him and whispered, "When you sail away, you will take me with you, won't you?"

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

((you just had to make her do that didnt you?))

Calvin blinked, as if awoken from a trance, and nodded. He picked up the other shoe and tied it onto Ivy's foot. He stared at it, thinking about what she whispered to him. He had only just met her today and they already had some feelings for each other, but they really knew nothing about each other.

"Why wouldn't I?" he whispered back, glancing at Maryann to see if she was watching. "You would be the first I would pick to come." He stood up and offered his hand to help Ivy up. "Are we going to dance?"

[carabadgermum]

Ivy excitedly took his paw and stood. Then after a quick glance at Mary to make sure her back was still turned she leaned forward and kissed Calvin's cheek. She giggled and then answered his question. "We don't have to dance right here and now if you don't want to, but we could practice."

((okay what would you give me if i have her twist her ankle so she can't dance at the ball?))

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

((I honestly think that might freak Calvin out if he sees it.))
Calvin went scarlet at the kiss. It was not something he expected from technically a stranger, and he was not prepared for it. And thus, in the subsequent attempt for his mind to grasp everything the kiss was, he did the usual thing most men do at their first unexpected kiss: Turn loopy.

"Ivy, you can do whateeeever you want. I'll just watch..." said Calvin with a smile.

[carabadgermum]

Ivy rolled her eyes and pulled him forward. "Come on you. You're in no state to practice dance steps. Let's get you dressed up and then maybe we'll practice." She dragged him up the dune Maryann had already climbed. She could tell he didn't really want to dance and even though she loved dancing she didn't want to make him feel uncomfortable. She'd done enough of that by kissing him. She was still thinking about all this when her footpaw slipped in the sand. It wasn't a bad slip but she did grab onto Calvin to keep herself from falling. "Oh!" This gave her an idea.

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

Calvin, though in a daze, did not hesitate to assist and help Ivy from her near fall. Not only did it awaken him from the daze, it brought his concern upon her. "Are you ok, Miss Ivy?" He looked down at her foot to examine it, and couldn't help but stare at her legs. "Did you hurt your... uh... ankle? You could slipped really badly on it." Part of him realized that if she had hurt her ankle, she would be hard pressed and probably unable to dance. Though he reveled in the thought of not dancing, he didnt want it to be a the cost of his new found friend to be hurt.

[carabadgermum]

With a rather obvious delayed reaction Ivy reached down toward her ankle. "Oh, ow yes. I think I twisted it."

Maryann came running over. "Ivy are you okay? I'll go and get somebeast to come and help you."

Ivy however looked meaningfully at Calvin. "That won't be necessary. I'm sure Mr. McMurray can see me as far as your house. You can, can't you, Calvin?"

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

Calvin nodded quickly. "Yes, ma'am. I can."

Now knowing that her leg was injured, Calvin kneeled down and took a look at it. After a small look over, he came to a conclusion that he didn't think was needed to be announced.

"Well, Miss Ivy, how would you like to move to your house? Do you wish to limp, me to hold some of your weight, carry you..." Calvin immediately panicked at what he had said. "I mean, only to the house. I wasnt meaning anything by it, nor was I implying anything could or would happen!"

[carabadgermum]

Ivy couldn't help but giggle. "I know what you meant and I think just leaning against you and going slowly would be fine."

Maryann rolled her eyes. She had caught onto the game even if Calvin hadn't. There was no way that her friend was actually hurt. She wasn't exactly sure what Ivy's purpose was but she guessed it had something to do with the slow pace and close proximity to Calvin. "I'll run ahead and let them know you're on your way." She looked at them both once more and shook her head. "And I'll see if I can't find something of my brother's for him to wear."

[Calvin "Freckle" McMurray]

Calvin let loose a large sigh. He was glad he hadn't dug himself into a rut with the tide coming in. "Oh, Miss Maryann, please try not to choose any with dress-like protrusions! I really despise them." he asked Maryann kindly.

When Maryann had walked out of earshot, he raised an eyebrow questioningly at Ivy. "I dont think your ruse of a 'twisted' ankle really flew well with her. She didn't seem convinced. Nor I." He paced around in a circle for a bit, singing to himself a tune he had picked up from his friend that left him earlier that day.