Ari listened to Gara and Xhol bicker, hiding a grin behind one hand.  It often seemed like you coudn't get the two of them into the same room without it quickly turning into a war of words and half veiled insults.  She wondered, not for the first time, if there was more behind their prickly words having learned more then one or two stories where the hero and heroine began the tale arguing ceaslessly and ended it madly in love.  A small stab of jealously touched her heart, one she quickly pushed aside and tried to forget about while, at the same time, wondered at.   It's not like there was anything between Xhol and her.  They were just good friends...<br/><br/>The thing was, none of the other boys in Whitewater held much interest for her.  She wasn't like Ilene who seemed not to be so... choosy, or aloof like Reyata could be, even though deep in her heart, Ari knew better then that.  No.  It was just that he was so... colorful and fun and... well... he was always so sweet to her, making her feel like he really listened to her every word and she his...<br/><br/>She smiled, thinking that his little tale of the troubadors rescue would grow into something grander.  Tongight, after everyone had left and before she went to bed, she'd work on making Xhol the hero of his very own tale.  Of course, in her version there would be more menace then cold waters and a strange fog.  Pirates, of course, and a deadly monster that lived in the waters.  And perhaps the old troubador would be a girl from a small village...<br/><br/>She shook her head with a rueful smile, having forgotten about her company for a small while, lost in her musings. She snapped out of it suddenly, though, blushing a little at where her thoughts were taking her, suddenly too shy to look at the T'skrang.  Instead, she turned her attention to Reya, noting a slightly out of place look upon her too perfect features and wondering what it boded.  Knowing her friend well, she thought it more then just not being the center of attention.   Playfull she nudged the elven girl in the arm with on elbow, turning so that only she could see Ari's face as she rolled her eyes and nodded in the bickering duos direction and whispered...<br/><br/>"Think the rest of us might get a word in before the evening's done?" she tried hard not to giggle, but this time with less success.<br/><br/><br/><br/>