Way Down We Go | Eittie & Orion | March 2019
The morning had been a quiet one, rising as she often did before the sun rose, she was up and around the house, quietly organising the washing, normal weekly chores with a steaming cup of tea following her from room to room. When her Grandfather rose, she made him toast and tea before packing a small lunch for the days excursion. Even though they weren’t heading far out from town, she hoped that her walking partner would be in the mood for getting away from other people for as long as possible. When the carer arrived, Eittie kissed her Grandfather goodbye with a soft kiss on the head and headed out the door. Dressed simply in a white sundress and tennis shoes, Eittie waved at a couple of neighbours as she headed for the bridge and across to the main path along the highway. Despite the bright sunshine, the path was quiet for this time of year now that schools were back after the break.
With each step away from the small village, energy slowly crept back into her bones. Normally she would be bothered by the way her thoughts celebrated in leaving home for the day but today she left them behind along the path. For Eittie, that was the brilliant thing about walking and getting out amongst the trees, everything else could be left behind, if only for a short while. Arriving at the small carpark by the start of the Hermitage path, Eittie wandered over to the map, casting her eyes over all the different tracks and areas she knew off by heart now, waiting for the tell tale sound of a car entering the gravel drive. When she heard it, she didn’t immediately look around, first taking the picture for the hub so she could share it with anyone who might be interested. Putting her phone away as she turned, she paused as she looked over to the car. This wasn’t the first time she had met Orion, in fact she already intimately knew how big and solid he was after falling asleep on him on the train from London to Loch Aber but there something entirely striking about him climbing out of the car surrounded by sky high pines and dappled light.
Stepping out from under the small map hut and out into the sunshine she smiled as she met him across the parking lot. ‘You look as ancient and majestic as these trees.’ Moving slowly, Eittie rested her hands on his arm, solid enough for him to feel the tough and leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek in greeting. Falling back, she let go and stepped backwards, pulling her sunglasses down off the top of her head and on, nodding towards the entry way down the path. To one side was the River Braan, tumbling quietly through the rocky riverbed and over head there were faint bird calls but they were otherwise completely alone. ‘I’ve made some lunch for us and brought drinks, I figured we could having something by the falls? There’s a great little secluded area there which overlooks the rapids.’ As they walked along, she didn’t make a huge effort to make conversation, letting it settle naturally here and there as they spoke about different things and the ease between them grew.
‘Have you walked the hills much since you moved to Scotland?’ Eittie looked up at his face, acutely aware of just how large he was beside her, her eyes drifting over his shoulders and back a moment, wondering just what kind of exercise he did to keep in such a shape. ‘I try and get out here as much as I can. It helps reset my mind a lot of the time.’ Letting her eyes wander away, she looked down the path ahead of them. ‘Between work and home, there are so many responsibilities and expectations... out here I always feel free. Things are more simple out here, when it’s just me and the trees.’ Letting her words trail away she looked up at him again, a smile creeping over her features. ‘And you now, I suppose.’
