Knight In Shining Armour? ((Dixie))

[kris]

Kris stifled a yawn while finishing the cup of espresso he had been drinking before he standing and excused himself politely from the group of relatives he had been socializing with. Devil and Shadow – his two big Alaskan malamutes – stood from the sides of the armchair Kris had been sitting in immediately as Kris rather harshly ignored the gushing of some or an other aunt as he strode towards the doors of the hotel while the low growls of the two dogs kept most relatives at bay. Wizards usually didn’t care much for dogs anyway, but Devil and Shadow were faithful to death. They would attack a mother-bear protecting her pups, should Kris be in danger. And Kris made sure to repay the dogs love with his own care and affection, though Devil and Shadow always knew that Kris’s orders were meant to be fulfilled immediately.
“And what makes you think you can flee this family gathering while I have to stick around for longer?” came a quiet voice into Kris’s ear as a elegant hand slipped into the crook of his elbow as Meredith strolled forward next to him.
“Because I’m still barely an adult, a ‘poor’ orphan who needs a good wife so ugly daughters are tried being offered to me besides who ever said I was raised as a proper gentleman?” Kris whispered back in just as low voice as Meredith did, dutifully not wincing at the long nail pushing into his side. “Do you mind? I raised you to be the perfect gentleman if it helps you let things go your way. Take one of the horses outside – we are going for a tour a bit later on, so you can join us later,” Meredith answered kissing Kris’s cheek before letting go of his arm. Using the moment Kris picked up his speed lightly slipping out of the doors before anyone else had a chance to stop him for a moment.

It took barely a few words – the whole hotel was a buzz and running to serve as there was nearly 50 people from the Graas family tree present right now, and the Graas family was known to be full of millionaires and billionaires like Kris himself was – so the service was exceptional. It was all going to come back on the bills, but not to only one person luckily. Not caring about getting a saddle Kris rose easily onto the back of an Arabian with devil and Shadow slipping easily to their positions on the side of the stallion - Devil on his right and Shadow as only a year old on Kris’s left. Accepting his winter-cloak from one of the stable-boys, Kris clasped the black velvet material with silvery lining before making sure his walking cane would fall off while he was riding. Pulling the horse moving Kris let him jog out of the hotel courtyard before letting the horse go into a full-fledged run as the chestnuts hooves clinked loudly on the bricks.

Heading towards the Shireking Shack the rhythm of the running horse turned into a softer thumping as Kris enjoyed the run. The surroundings seemed to be empty and Kris almost ached to see wide fields covered with pure snow as the sun glinted down on it happily with patches of trees in between covered with a frosting of snow.

Before Kris got lost in the mind-picture however the dogs let out a low growl letting Kris know there was still someone out here at the Shrieking Shack as well. Letting the horse slow to a trot and a bit later into a walk Kris sat back onto the horses back comfortably ordering the dogs to quiet down sharply. Who knew who was walking around here? Some professor fancied a walk to Hogsmeade perhaps? Riding into a professor wouldn’t really go well, even though maybe due to his new condition this was the first year when Kris wasn’t constantly in some detention. The person didn’t say anything however up to the point when some tree-branch broke with a loud snap making Kris’s head whip around as Morrigan poked her nose out from under Kris’s cloak. His head slightly tilted Kris kept his head turned towards the direction the sound came from while having to tell Shadow once again to quiet down as the dog started growling again. Silently wondering who would prefer the bleak fields and cold snow to the warmth of a cup of hot chocolate right now – besides himself – Kris still refrained from saying anything as he let the horse pick his own pace while climbing the slight hill-side. Kris couldn’t choose the best or easiest path himself right now, so he gave the horse the freedom to pick the direction. That person whoever she was, because Kris hadn’t even reached her yet – would have time to speak if she wanted and plenty of time.

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

She had been let out over the Holidays, but she hadn't been wiling to return to Hogwarts just yet - not that Dixie really wanted to, she would much rather stay out of Hogwarts and away from her sister as long as possible. Mack would no doubt say that she wasn't near enough ready to leave the insane prison, Dixie knew when she was ready - and she was ready. So instead of going to the castle, Dixie made a detour to the village of Hogsmeade - hoping to seek some relaxation there. Her mother thought she was at Hogwarts - and probably would be finding a way to see if she truly was in an hour or so, but Dixie was sure she had other troubles on her hands - what with the wedding and Mack and Trevor and all. Dixie scowled, why was her mother getting married? Weren't they perfectly happy before? Before all this mess with Dix? Couldn't they continue to live in that small but cozy apartment and carry on like normal people? Why was it that Pam thought she needed to have all this money to be happy? Dixie had grown accustomed to having as little money as possible - so why couldn't they? Actually, she was pretty sure Mack was used to it - after all Mack hadn't been treated as part of the family until her third year at Hogwarts, so she wasn't used to the luxuries Dixie and Pam were used to.

Hogsmeade was rather busy for the Holidays, but Dixie didn't mind - that meant not many people would pay attention to the lonely girl wandering the streets without any money to buy something hot to eat or drink. She wore her winter cloak which was simply black with a dark green silk lining, and underneath that she had on jeans, a black shirt, and a pair of boots. Her brown hair was curled and around her shoulders - and for once she looked presentable. Unlike any of the other times in the past month or so. Though she looked semi-nice, she still felt horrible and she was freezing cold, but she didn't show it. She walked through the streets with her head held up high and didn't make eye contact with anyone who dared to make eye contact with her. Dixie continuing walking, until she came to the road that lead to the Shrieking Shack. No matter how busy Hogsmeade got, the Shrieking Shack would always be near empty - it was too haunted to even be considered as a place to look at and visit. She climbed a hill that had a huge tree on it, and looked around - wondering if anyone would notice her climbing it. She hadn't climbed a tree since she was very little, maybe 6 years old and now she had a sudden urge to do just that.

Her heeled boots sunk into the damp ground as she made her way up toward the tree. Mud splashed her jeans a little, but for once she didn't care. She finally reached the top of the hill and was looking up at the large tree - it looked to be an oak tree, but Dixie wasn't certain she wasn't exactly a tree type of person. All she knew about them was that they grew, they lost their leaves during the winter, the leaves turned orange or brown or red durnig the fall, and they were green during the summer and spring. Right now all that tree was useful for was climbing and that was exactly what Dixie Holden planned on doing. Her arms stretched up and she jumped, grabbing the branch directly above her head. She hung there for awhile before she swung her legs up and caught another branch with them. She shifted her weight to her legs and then reached the next branch with her arms. Now she was sitting up right, her arms hooked around a branch in front of her, and sitting on a lower branch that was little behind the first one. She looked around and sighed at the view. She could see practically everything, the people milling around the shops, there was even a couple arguing in one of the tea shops. Dixie watched this scene for a moment or two before turning her attention to something that was moving at an unusual speed for something in Hogsmeade. Her brown eyes followed the horse and the boy until they were hurting, that was alright - because the tree branch was starting to snap anyway. Dixie looked at the branch she was sitting on and narrowed her eyebrows, willing it to stop cracking. She looked back at the horse and boy and then back at the branch as it gave another loud crack.

"Maybe I should climb out..." She told herself in a whisper, and she moved slowly. But it didn't work. The tree gave another threatening crack and the tree branch split. Dixie bit her bottom lip (which had healed up nicely over the months) and swung her right leg around and off the branch so she had one leg on each side of it. Her hands grasped the wood in front of her, and she moved with swiftness, but the tree branch could still feel her weight on it. If Dixie had been smarter than she was, she would perhaps have jumped off the branch - but all Dixie was thinking about was how she was going to die. For if this branch broke she would surely fall out, and then roll down the hill which led into Hogsmeade and she would be trampled to death by a million feet. OK, so maybe Dixie's imagination had grown over the past few months - but she had to lie and that was exactly what she did. The branch finally gave out, and it fell beneath her - luckily her reflexes were pretty good, so her hand shot up and grabbed the branch her arms had been looped over only moments before. Her hands which were numb and frozen, gripped the tree branch above her now, and her grip was starting to slip. She looked down at the ground to see how far the distance was, pretty far. Dixie hated heights. Her eyes found the boy and the horse coming up the hill, she opened her mouth to shout help - but she saw who it was. She wasn't one to beg or plead for help, especially in front of a fellow Slytherin, especially one by the name of Kris Graas - but she had no choice...Dixie bit her lip again and called; "Kris Graas! Um...help?" And that was the first thing she said out loud to anyone since she was released.

[kris]

Kris enjoyed the brisk weather on his face as the hose climbed the hill. Shifting himself lightly Kris arched an eye-brow upon hearing a call of help. The voice was feminine and somewhat familiar… and it called him by his name. Kris’s heels touched the Arabians stomach making the horse give a burst of speed as the horse sped forward while Kris took the couple of moments to place a name and a face to the voice. Dixie Holden. He hadn’t seen him for quite a while, but then again he hadn’t paid much attention to most of the school this year. And Kris seemed to be much bigger friends with her younger sister Mack, despite the fact Dixie was in the same year as he.
Pulling the horse to a sharp stop while strong hooves threw up piece of snow Kris raised his hand feeling the harsh cover of a tree under his finger-pads. “Oak,” Kris stated absent-mindedly while his hand found the waist of Dixie, who seemed to be… hanging?... from the tree. His arm wounding it’s way around Dixie’s waist Kris pulled the girl making sure to keep her steady as after a few moments the girl fell onto his arm, giving Kris a chance to pull her up on the back of the horse in front of him as a sharp command quieted both Devil and Shadow who had started growling again silently.

Feeling the bit torn fabric and the coldness of Dixie’s skin, Kris rolled his eyes mentally. What was it with girls? Did they like wearing someone else’s clothes? Or were they just incapable of dressing warmly enough themselves? Making sure the girl wasn’t going to fall Kris unclasped his own velvety cloak and held out his hand for a moment as Morrigan climbed onto his shoulder and away from on top of the cloak. Throwing the heavy fabric on Dixie’s shoulders Kris closed the silver clasp in the front of the cloak while arching a lazy eye-brow: “Just bored? Or decided to play a lady in distress? I must admit that I’m not much of a knight, m’lady, but then again you did call out for me, Dixie. Or did just decide that you might want a warmer cloak while you are waiting for your prince?”

Pulling at the reigns lightly Kris let the horse walk away from next to the tree hearing the squelching of mud under strong hooves. What on earth had Dixie been doing? Swimming in the mud? Escaping from ants? Or playing Tarzan? Well, Jane rather than Tarzan, but the point stayed the same. Recalling all he could about the girl Kris led the Arabian horse back to a bit firmer ground before leaning back a little as his arms left their hold on Dixie’s arms. Flicking his wrist Kris let his wand slip out as he pointed it at the ground while murmuring a soft charm. A moment later blue flame – as Kris knew – jumped up from the ground giving off enough heat to make sure Kris wouldn’t get cold even without the cloak while he wasn’t riding. While riding the horse would give off enough warmth to make sure Kris didn’t catch a cold either. Not that healing such a disease would have been very difficult task in the muggle world. Leaning back wards a little Kris offered Dixie a lazy smirk while tilting his head: “May I enquire why you chose an old and half-dead oak if you wished to climb trees? And you just had to choose a tree with mud under it, didn't you? Do you have any idea how hard it will be to get the mud out of Devil's and Shadow's fur?”

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie let out a small breath of relief as she felt his arms around her waist, she let go lightly of the branch and allowed herself to be pulled onto the horse in front of Kris. A moment later, she felt the warmth of his cloak around her and was grateful, she closed her eyes and breathed out again, making a mental note never to climb trees again. Kris then spoke to her, and Dixie couldn't help but smirk; "Yes, I was waiting for a prince - but unfortunately you came instead." Kris pulled the horse to a stop and made some sort of flame appear sending off heat. She looked at the blue flame for a little bit and then sighed as if she just realized she had been hanging from a tree. Her hands still ached a little, but the pain was slowly going away, "Actually," she began to say, "I was bored and I had a sudden urge to climb a tree." Why she had that urge, she wasn't sure - but now the urge was gone, along with her liking for trees.

"May I enquire why you chose an old and half-dead oak if you wished to climb trees? And you just had to choose a tree with mud under it, didn't you? Do you have any idea how hard it will be to get the mud out of Devil's and Shadow's fur?" Dixie figured that Devil and Shadow were the two dogs that were with him, and Dixie suddenly felt sort of bad - considering she knew how hard it was going to be to get the mud out, but the moment it appeared - the guilt vanished. How was she to know that the tree was half-dead? She wasn't an expert on trees, or anything to do with nature for that matter. She was hardly an expert on anything - how was she to know what to look for in a good climbing tree? She saw a tree and she felt like climbing, therefore she climbed! Dixie tucked some of her hair behind her ear and looked at Kris.

"I'm not an expert on trees, I wasn't aware it was old and half-dead. And, I didn't expect to fall from the tree - therefore I wasn't much worried about the mud, and I didn't expect you, let alone your dogs, to come to my rescue if I did fall, so I am sorry for the time it will take for you to get the mud out of your dogs fur. You could have just let me hang there, you know." Dixie looked down at the flame again and shook her bangs out of her eyes. He could have. But he didn't. And she was thankful for that. But she wouldn't say it unless he said something about it. Dixie picked at her nails as she stared into the flame, her eyes began to water so she looked back at Kris - and it was then it dawned on her. The train attack. Oh. Dixie bit her lip again and sighed, how could she have been so stupid? She knew he couldn't want sympathy, having been given it too much herself - she knew how tiring and old and annoying it got. The best thing for her to do was to talk to him as she normally would. If only she were as she normally was.

[kris]

Kris smirked a bit amusedly at Dixie as he listened to her rant. Perhaps she wasn’t the best company Kris could wish for… most likely he hadn’t asked for her company had he given a choice who he wanted to see today. But most certainly she was a lot better than most of Kris’s family tree. With them Kris was the head of his home and one of the richest while being young and not bad looking… not to mention single. On the whole it all put a pressure on him. Pressure that left his tensed shoulders for a moment now. Sure, it would come back, but for now Kris could enjoy a conversation with Dixie. AS the girl didn’t seem to have any desire to get off the horse, Kris himself threw his leg graceful over the back of the horse stepping onto the ground and closer to the fire. Closing his eyes behind the black sun-glasses though the momentary weakness Kris allowed himself as he enjoyed the heat of the fire on his face.

“You didn’t expect me. Yet you were the one who called my name while asking to be rescued. Playing a knight in shining armour isn’t really my every day job, you know. But as I was raised as a gentleman – couldn’t very well leave you there either now, could I?” Kris turned his head slightly while kneeling down and raising his hand feeling soft and cared for fur under his hand a few moments later. His fingers scratching momentarily from behind Devil’s head Kris let his fingers glide down to the dogs paw. Raising one of the front paws Kris’s fingers started to untangle the fur and the mixture of snow and mud carefully from the long fur as Devil let out a quiet bark. His fingers moving with practiced ease, Kris leaned on of his knees onto the ground as he settled down in a position he could stay in for hours not caring if his pants got a little dirty while at it. He would have to change clothes anyway before the formal dinner coming this evening so these pants would most likely be going into the trash.

“Half-dead trees just are different. The feel of them and their bark is different, it’s more harsh… like the hands of an old worker who has done a heavy job all his life with his hands get covered with small scars, welts and his pads of skin roughen. It’s pretty much the same with old trees. They have seen enough life to pull on a hard bark,” Kris mused lazily with one of his mouth corners twitching for a moment. Kris didn’t even know himself whether it was from a smile as he thought of the thousands nights and days he had spent in forests or whether it was a smile of sadness because he would never again be as free. Did it even matter right now?
“I suppose Sprout might have mentioned something about it at one point or an other. Not that I went to or paid much attention in most of her classes. It was a subject I could ace anyway, though you obviously haven’t paid attention in class nor spent nearly as much time in forests.” Knowing he had done all he could without a brush Kris started working on Devil’s other paw as the dog stood patiently before him. Tilting his head lightly towards where he had left the horse Kris smirked lazily: “You can get down from the horse actually you know. Though I don’t suggest you go petting my dogs, they know better than to bite you or even growl at you after I have told them to be quiet. Or do you simply enjoy the high seat you have occupied?”

[Dixie Holden-Greene]

Dixie looked at Kris, "But you're so good at it, you should look into it full time." She said with false admiration about the knight and shining armour reference not being an every day thing. She sighed and fiddled with her fingers again before continuing, "Besides, you were the only one around. It was either that - or fall and break my neck, which I value a lot." She thought about the raised as a gentleman thing and Dixie nodded, "I suppose you're right." She winced at her words - she hated it when other people were right and she was wrong. It gave her a sense of being less intelligent than she really was. She watched Kris work the mud, or as much as he could, out of one of the dog's fur. She felt a little bad for the mud - but she brushed it off again; he didn't have to help her. Most people wouldn't.

Kris started telling her how to detect old and half-dead trees, while Dixie sat biting her bottom lip and pulling at a fraction of her fingernail that was broken; "Lesson learned." She said as he had finished speaking. She stored that bit of information in the back of her mind as Kris spoke about Sprout and Herbology. Ugh. Dixie hated that class. As he spoke, she rolled her eyes and held her hand out in front of her to take in the whole of it. The nail on that one finger threw everything off. Her hand went to her mouth and she pulled at the broken piece of nail, but it wouldn't come off. She sighed before saying; "No. I don't pay attention in that class. Sprout always struck me as a half-witted nothing, and I didn't bother to give her my attention. Besides - it was easily passed. And no, I don't spend much time in forests. Could you imagine? Stilettos in the woods?" She raised an eyebrow and bit at her nail again. It tore of in a painful pull. She winced slightly and watched as blood came to the surface of her skin.

At Kris's words, Dixie hopped off the horse and landed gracefully on the ground, "They won't bite if I'm down here will they?" She asked, referring to the two dogs that didn't seem to like her much. Dixie put her finger to her lips and licked off the blood that was pooling around the wound. Her eyes never left the dogs, "I have...this fear..of being bitten by dogs. Was bitten once when I was a little girl, never really got over it." She stayed as far away from them as she could without losing the feel of the heat coming from the flame.

((Pathetic Dixie post, but I used up all her inspiration re-writing her bio. ))

[kris]

Kris arched an amused eye-brow: “Take the job on fulltime? But most knights get roasted in those heaps of metal. It’s especially dangerous when it’s lightening. And like you value your neck, I value ever piece of my body, enough not to want to risk dying and making the world survive without my charming personality and the darling locks I own according to Mackie-girl. Do give your sister my greetings.”
Hearing Dixie climbing down from the horse Kris placed the dogs’ paw back to ground and stood taking hold of the horse’s reigns and pulling the horse behind him attached the horse to a near-by tree-branch. This one didn’t luckily have mud under it Kris noted as he tied the reigns lightly around the branch so that the horse wouldn’t run away anytime soon.

Returning to his place Kris started cleaning the dogs’ hind paw Kris stroked Devil’s head absent-mindedly while listening to Dixie’s words. “They won’t bite you. I told them you’re a friend and told them to quiet down so up to the point where you try to phsycially attack me they will not touch you the least bit. They won’t even come closer to you,” Kris replied coolly while pushing Devil in front of him onto his back and scratched his chest absent-mindedly, while Devil simply panted. Yes, the dog was in a rather vulnerable position right now, with him on his back and Kris’s hand at his throat, but he didn’t show any signs of hesitation. Kris was master and all his animals had been thought to obey him – but only him – without any hesitation. Disobedience was punished, loyalty and obeying to Kris was always rewarded greatly. Kris had always had a knack for handling animals and his dogs were no exception to the general rule.

“Naturally my pups aren’t the fluffiest creatures, so if you want to pet them tell me and I’ll make sure Shadow – he’s older – will sit patiently. I suppose it’s the same as with a horse. If you fall once from horse-back you just have to get back on the horse again. If you’re bitten by a dog, become friends with an other one?” Kris offered lazily while letting Devil rise to his feet again before sending Devil farther away and raising his hand commandingly while letting out a low whistle between his teeth. Shadow turned from where he had been sniffing rabbit-prints immediately and covered the distance to Kris with long jumps lowering his head while slipping his head under Kris’s palm. Stroking the handsome head for a moment, Kris shrugged his shoulders: “He likes to be scratched on his head, if you want to try, but either way they won’t touch you. Wizards usually aren’t overly fond of dogs anyway. So where did you meet a dog as a child, if I may enquire?”