Meeting Romulus (Shade)

The five foot five form of Lizzie Maxwell walked slowly around the lake, lost in private thought. She was a daughter of Stimula, born and raised in Scotland, till a year ago when she came to New Rome and thus beginning her new life. Though this new life was not without it's difficulties. It still shared some of the same ones as her old life before the truth about her had been revealed. The main issue for Lizzie, or Liz to her female friends happened to be the boys, who Lizzie struggled to talk to. This problem made it difficult to communicate with them, for either with friends Lizzie would hide among them or awkwardly think of a way to respond, stuttering and stammering her words in an exact polar opposite of how she behaved, sounded and act with her friends.
To her credit she did try to communicate with them, boys, all boys made her feel really shy and nervous, where as when it came to talking to those who shared her gender where she felt comfortable and well natural. So both genders got to see two completely different sides of her, the shy, quiet kind and the fun loving kind who made impressions, those impressions usually being on various Roman officers. Much to the dis-amusement of those officers.

As normal, her bright ginger hair was tied up in a single braided ponytail, she paused turning to face the lake, idly skimming a few stones off of it's shimmering surface, her blue eyes watching the stones skim then vanish beneath the water never to be seen again. Over her skinny frame Lizzie wore black shin boots, with black shorts with the letters S.P.Q.R printed on the left leg in gold and a baggy purple camp Jupiter shirt. The weather here though hot, was not uncomfortable, she preferred being warm to cold so it suited her just fine.
She bent down to skim another stone off of the water's surface, wishing quietly that she was better at talking to people. Lizzie's shy nature around boys left her without a boyfriend which didn't come to her as a surprise. Not that she actively wanted one to be happy, she was fine single. What she wasn't fine with was how some mistakenly believed her to be into girls, which couldn't possibly be further from the truth. She just happened to possess a large amount of female friends.
She had spoken to quite a few boys here, which in her eyes was an improvement over how she used to be, particularly taking her old school into account. The exchanges here were still awkward, difficult and incredibly uncomfortable.

If he wasn’t training or eating or training his mind or leading his Cohort in some training exercise of some sort that they’d all complain about for weeks to come Romulus could be found at the Camp Lake. Unlike most people however the Optio of the 1st Cohort didn’t necessarily come to the lake to swim, unless of course the Scipio twins forced him into the water. No, he came here because it was in his opinion a great reading place and he had two certain spots he went to every time he was at the lake. One of those places was on top of a group of rocks off to the left side of the lake, which was currently occupied by what appeared to be a family as evident by the parents watching their kids carefully climbing on the rocks.

The other spot was currently occupied as well by a smaller ginger girl who looked to be about his age, skipping rocks. However sense it wasn’t that big of a deterrence as the family was Romulus, dressed only in a red bathing suit his toned and muscular body clearly visible along with the S.P.Q.R. tattoo with his father’s symbol of a spear surrounded in mist and six marks signifying his six years in the legion. The military styled cut blond haired Optio of the 1st Cohort, Son of Quirinus made his way over to where the girl was standing and as he got closer was able to get a better look at her. Recognizing her as one of the members of Tiberia and Leandra’s Cohort. Lizzy something or another, daughter of Stimula if he remembered right and Romulus always did. He made it his business to know just about everything important about everyone. Could never be too careful.

Walking up next to her, his book in hand which just so happened to be War and Peace this time and was his second time reading through the gigantic book, he stopped when he was next to her. “Do you mind if I sit here or is this spot perhaps taken by someone?” If she said that it was not taken he was of course going to sit down, but if it was then he would simply have to move on and go somewhere else there was nothing wrong with that. It wasn’t as if the Lake was tiny and there was no possible way for him to find some new place to read. Even if it wouldn’t be nearly as good as the place they were currently at. “Oh, excuse my rudness. I’m Romulus Son of Quirinus, 1st Cohort. You?”

Focusing on skipping rocks, Lizzie failed to notice the approach of Romulus till he spoke. She jumped startled, turning to face him her cheeks reddening from the fact she so clearly jump and he happened to be clad in just a red bathing suit. Thus revealing a rather attractive and muscular body. However she tried not to focus on this, instead his eyes since you were meant to look a person in their eyes, not check them out. Besides he might have had a girlfriend or a boyfriend, of course when she was with her friends she could afford to sneak glances at some of the more attractive Legionnaires even if she would never possess the courage to speak to them.
"I..." Lizzie's words caught in her throat, she looked away trying to get her words out. She forced herself to take a calming breath, shoving her hands into the pockets of her shorts. "I guess..." Lizzie stammered out, her voice quiet once more looking at him rather than away.

"No one is... Si.. Sitting there." By Jupiter talking to those of the opposite gender was so frustrating, it did not help when these boys looked like Romulus and dressed like him too. She swallowed again, her lips moving as she tried to speak the words. Guys just made her nervous, too nervous and Lizzie couldn't really do the whole speaking thing well any more. "I'm Lizzie" She finally managed to say her name, her Scottish accent thick and heavy, she didn't really mind the accent of her home so it made no difference to her. Even if it stuck out at camp somewhat. "Daughter of Sti... Stimula and I... I... I'm in the third cohort." Her cheeks reddened even more and she sat down suddenly, trying to ignore the burning embarrassment. It wasn't like she couldn't speak, Lizzie just could not speak to boys.

She stopped, she stuttered and it sounded as if her words were practically forced out with nervousness. Signs of anxiety perhaps? Perhaps maybe she simply wasn’t used to talking to people. However she was able to give out her name, God parent, and what Cohort she was in. It simply took her longer than it would for most people and the way she said it made it sound as if she wasn’t truly sure of herself. This of course made Romulus slightly interested, he wanted to know why she reacted the way she did he wanted to know if it was towards everyone or if it was certain people, or a select social group and or personal group. He had to of course rule out personal because unless he had met the girl before simply by asking her if he could sit wouldn’t have set her over the edge as it did.

When she sat down next to him he nodded his head and responded. “It’s nice to meet you Lizzie, I do have to ask though are you alright? Would you rather I found somewhere else to read my book?” He had no problem moving if it would make the girl more comfortable at least not now. Sure, a few seconds ago he wouldn’t really have cared one way or the other but after meeting her, he of course didn’t want to be the reason for causing her this discomfort. Tiberia and perhaps even Leandra would never allow him to hear the end of it if he was the cause for any form of discomfort for someone in their Cohort. Even if it was accidental and something as simple as talking to the girl to ask her a question and then her name.

At his question, Lizzie paused to consider her response. The truth would make the most sense, however not being able to talk to boys was a difficult thing for her. She tried to talk to them, but it was difficult, not like when she conversed with female friends or Legionnaires who were female. That felt natural to her, something which she could blame on her parentage. Eventually Lizzie decided that she must confess the truth to him, it was only fair. Besides if she didn't well Romulus might think that it was him, though looking like he did without a t-shirt. She tried to push such thoughts aside, Lizzie didn't even know if he already had a girlfriend or a boyfriend, she wasn't the type to steal someone's lover.
Somehow to her that was wrong.

"I..." She started, her words catching in her throat. It was slightly easier to talk to him when she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes looked out across the water, taking a deep breath. "Sorry." Lizzie forced out, electing first to inform him about why she wasn't looking at him. "Sorry for not looking at you..." She began hoping that she wouldn't sound like a complete and utter freak.
"I... I... Struggle to talk to boys..." She sighed quietly, looking down at the stony shores, shaking her head slowly in weary sadness. "I... It is something... I... I've always found.... Difficult." Lizzie wondered what he might think about this. Romulus was one of the best, if not the best and here she was confessing one of her greatest weaknesses and flaws to him. By Rome she must look like a right whimp, unable to talk to any guys. Lizzie could never talk to guys, sometimes she didn't even try just hide inside a group of people consisting of her closest friends. A suitable act of valour for her would be talking to a guy she had a crush on.

Romulus was patient and some people would even say he was understanding and while he wasn’t truly, he was smart enough to attempt to understand what someone was going through. Even if he himself didn’t truly understand it he could of course evaluate and learn about what the person was going through. This of course was much easier to understand as he had already nearly deduced it even before she told him about it. “Is there a certain reason you find it difficult to talk to boys?” He asked closing his book and setting it down next to him and turned slightly so that he was now actually facing her. “Is it simply a hormonal thing? Or is it an anxiety thing? Have you simply not tried enough or…I’m sorry if I’m posing too many questions I’m simply intrigued.”

(( Sorry about the short post, computer crapped on me.))

Well, there were a few different reasons which might be why she found it difficult to talk to boys. The first one that Lizzie could think of would be her parentage, the second being the fact that she had up until high school gone to only girls schools, with her second high school being a mix of boys and girls.
Lizzie glanced at him uncertainly, unsure as to how to reply, her blue eyes shining nervously. "I... I... I've never real... Really encountered.... B... Boys." Lizzie tried to explain her voice heavy with nervous. When he turned to look at her, Lizzie swiftly looked away again, she wasn't used to talking to boys, looking at them made her feel even more anxious. She could just about deal with them looking or talking to her. "I... I'm not sure... I..." She shrugged her shoulders shaking her head quickly. "I don't know it could be because... I am a daughter of Stimula?" Lizzie suggested. Perhaps it was because Lizzie had never had a boyfriend or a relationship with anyone? Maybe it was a lack of confidence? But then how could she be so talkative with her female friends if that was true?
Lizzie didn't know, though she found it to be kind of nice to talk with Romulus, he seemed to be very understanding. Perhaps, they might be able to find a solution to her problem? She didn't know, however Romulus seemed to want to try and find one.

((sorry that sucks and your post is great thanks! I love rping with Romlus ^^))

Never really encountered boys? That was certainly an interesting fact. It implied her home life more than likely consisted of her and perhaps her father or a step-mother or just her grandmother perhaps. It also implied that she went to an all-girls school growing up and had little to no contact with boys in the outside world, outside of the school rather, except maybe passing by them on the street. Which of course could explain the difficulty in trying to talk to them but that would of course be something that went away after being around them or at least seeing more of the opposite gender here at Camp and in New Rome where both genders were always around. So, although not ruled out as a reason for her anxiety and inability to hold a steady conversation with a male was not the only reason.

This of course brought out her other suggestion that it was due to her being a daughter of Stimula. Which was possibly not true. Stimula brought about the stimulus of sexual desires or other things in men and she had no aura he could see. No powers or abilities and thus this was not a side effect of being her daughter in any way. Thus brought it back around full circle to his first diagnosis, it was simply a mental thing. She had not been exposed to males for the majority of her life and the sudden burst of the growth in the expansion of the interaction she’d have to go through daily with the opposite sex was not something she could deal with mentally.

“I believe it’s a little bit to do with the first part as well as a mental thing…you’re simply not used to having to deal with the opposite gender and are just nervous correct? It will take time, and you’ll of course have to force yourself to talk to boys but I believe eventually you’ll be perfectly fine. You yourself have to believe you can though.” He said before continuing “Every problem has a solution one simply has to know where to look for it. I believe this is your solution, whether you take it or not is your decision of course.”[/color]

She listened to his explanation but wasn't sure if it happened to be accurate or not. It might have been however Lizzie wasn't sure if she agreed with it in it's entirety. On the other hand, he might be completely right, Lizzie could simply be reluctant to admit to the truth. "I..." Lizzie began, not really certain what to say to him. She glanced at him nervously, her blue eyes still holding her nervous uncertainty however she seemed to be somewhat happy talking to him.
"I don't know... Rom... Romulus." She winced as she stuttered over his name, that was embarrassing. Her cheeks flushed with colour seemingly in an attempt to match her ginger hair. Lizzie took a deep breath, absently picking up a pebble, moving it with her fingers gently, before turning to look at him. She parted her lips as if she wished to speak however something prevented her from doing so. Burning from embarressment, the Scottish born Demigod looked away swiftly taking another deep breath in an attempt to calm her nerves. Lizzie tried again, turning to face him once more. "T.. Thanks." She said simply, but it was the first time she'd spoken to him somewhat more easily without looking across the lake.

There was a saying that time healed all wounds, and as much as Romulus tended to disagree with that statement he knew that it could of course be correct in some instances. This one for example was the perfect opportunity for the saying to prove true. All Lizzie needed was to get used to talking to boys, it was no different than talking to females and once she realized that she’d be able to continue on her life and actually contribute more. Sure, there was nothing wrong with her and she could quite possibly live out her life in a productive manner and even exceed whatever expectations she held for herself and still not be able to talk to boys but there was also the slim possibility that eventually she’d have a boss or person above her that was a male. Being unable to talk to males then would hinder her.

“Well if you do ever figure out your reason for not being able to talk to boys, let me know. I’d like to know what you act like when you are around someone you are comfortable with. As for thanking me? Don’t, I haven’t truly done anything. I’ve simply opened your eyes to a few possibilities for why you are the way you are and even less help in overcoming this barrier. Only you can actually solve it.” He of course believed she could overcome it, she simply would have to do so herself. No amount of pressure from other people would be enough to allow her to freely talk to boys without feeling nervous or as if she was defusing a bomb. In fact it might actually be worse if she was pressured into the situations and forced to attempt to overcome the ‘barrier’ that was laid out before her. Thus the best course of action was to let her know what she needed to do and allow her to do so on her own time.

"If I find... Out the reason I... I... I am sure you will know." Lizzie would probably be able to tell him, however such an idea was just a dream, a concept, an idea really. She didn't know if she would or might ever be able to be comfortable talking to boys. It might be because of her father, it might be because of her upbringing, Lizzie just did not know. No one did really. It was nerve racking talking to boys, she would rather storm a fort defended by the first and second cohorts alone, armed with a feather duster than talk to a group of them at the same time.
Lizzie could talk quite happily not to mention confidently to her girl friends, yet she did not have any real guy friends because it is hard to make friends with someone when the other person is barely speaking. Talking to boys or rather the ability to talk to them may hopefully come to Lizzie in time. It certainly could not be forced into her, placing her in situation where she might encounter males would probably leave a negative effect rather than resolve the issue.
"W... We.. Well." She swallowed her words catching in her throat. "Maybe I do not know Romulus... It is dif... Difficult." She shook her head sadly, Lizzie wished that she could talk to them as if she did find herself liking a guy, like really liking it would be a terrible date if she found herself rendered mute.