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Vale of the White Horse
Topic Started: 5 Jan 2010, 13:03 (19,388 Views)
Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'From how matters seem now,' she said, bringing some warmth in her voice, 'the moments I will get to spend with my husband will be sparse enough as it is.' Her fingers still curled around his wrist.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'That's the gods own truth,' he muttered and put his hand over hers. Her skin was cool to the touch, but it was a pleasant sort of coolness. 'I did not want another marriage, but I don't regret it. I want you to know that.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She nodded. The tight knot in her belly was still present. 'Tell me about your other wives. What happened to them. And when. Please...I need to know this.'
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Sonja
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Tudwrig took a deep breath to steady his nerves. 'My..my first wife was already pregnant when it happened, about a year after we were married. She had a fallout with Eiluned and stormed into my room to complain, just as I was losing control. I didn't realize what I'd done until I regained consciousness two days later.' His voice cracked and he fell silent for a long time, pushing back the tears that threatened to spill.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She tried to imagine how it must have been. It was cruel sort of fantasy. 'I'm so sorry. I'm sure she was a lovely girl.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'She was,' he sighed. 'My second wife... I haven't been married to her for nearly as long. A few weeks, at the most. Frightfully curious, that girl. It was the thing I loved most about her, but it became her undoing. That time it..the curse, it was cruel. I knew what was happening and I couldn't stop it.' He buried his face in his hands and gave a dry sob.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
Oh, by all the gods. She had not meant him to cry. She looked around; the whole hall was casting hidden glances at them. That was wrong; this was a deeply private matter, for her but especially for him. 'You can grieve for the ones you lost,' she told him gently, quietly. 'It is perfectly healthy to...Tudwrig...' she leaned to him, putting both her arms around him, leaning her head close to his own. 'If this curse came upon you when you where a child, then there must be a way to lift it.'
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Sonja
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'I don't even know how and why I came to be cursed,' he said, feeling utterly miserable. Her arms around him were some small comfort and he swallowed back his grief. It was important to keep his composure amongst his people - what few of them were left.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Then we'll find out. Come on now.' She stood of, gently taking him with her. 'Why don't we find a quiet spot?'
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Sonja
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He nodded and got up. He didn't want to lean on Briallen all too much. 'Outside,' he suggested. 'I'd like some fresh air.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
Now she smiled. 'I'm glad for that.'
They went outside. The castle was indeed close to the hill of the White Horse. 'It is beautiful. But better from your window.'
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Sonja
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'It is,' he said and traced the white lines with his eyes. 'It helps me at times, you know. Sometimes when I feel like I'm losing it, I look out of my window and stare at it. Not a foolproof mehtod, but..' He shrugged his shoulders.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Has it been here long?'
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Sonja
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'Ever since I can remember. My father told me that it has been here for hundreds, maybe thousands of years.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Amazing.' She turned to look at him. 'Tudwrig. Will you be honest to me from now on?'
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Sonja
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'There's nothing left for me to lie to you about,' he said with a faint spark of humour in his eyes.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Then I'll be honest with you. If things are horrible after two weeks, I don't know if I can stay.' She bowed her head.
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Sonja
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'I won't keep you if you decide to leave. I've already been unfair to you before.' He reached out and took her hand, squeezing it softly.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
This new settlement was blissfully free of Romans. He wondered what would happen if too many of their filthy breed trod upon his path while he was still journeying with the girl. A part of him, a growing part, felt a mixture of excitement and fear - one because he hoped that the sudden meeting with the one Roman might be a good omen, a gift from the gods. The other, because that same gift might change his course dramatically.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'I would like one of these, please.' Gwenllian attracted the attention of the baker on the market, pointing at the loafs of bread she would like to buy. The man rubbed his hands on his apron and named his price. She paid him the coins and put the loafs in her basket. She smiled a thanks and turned around. Rhywallon stood a few yards away, discussing the price of a new coil of rope. She walked towards the next stall, where meat was hanging out to dry. The woman behind it threw a curious glance at her face.
'It may sound like a terribly weird question, miss, but could it be that someone is looking for you?' she asked.
Her mouth suddenly felt dry. 'Why you ask?' she wondered, her voice strained.
'Oh, there were a couple of men asking around if we'd seen a lady of about your appearance about. What can I get you?'
'A side of beef,' Gwenllian said shakily. 'I cannot imagine anyone looking for me. My brother and I aren't far from home.'
'Must be someone else then,' the woman said pleasantly and gathered the coins, giving the neatly wrapped meat in return.
Gwenllian nodded. 'Must be. Thank you,' she said and walked away, her hands tightly closed around the handle of the basket.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
He wrapped up the rope around his and turned to wait for Gwenllian. Buying food was a good thing, but he preferred to travel with hardly anything on him. Food could also be hunted, it needed. 'Got everything? It's nearing dark.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'All set,' she said in a cheery voice. It was important not to think. 'I think my horse's hooves may need a bit of looking after, though. I thought she was limping as we rode in.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Limping?' Rhywallon suppressed a sigh. 'Fine, I'll see what it is. If it's limping, we need to buy a new horse. Can't go on with a cripple.' That'd mean another day in the settlement. He had planned to leave by morning tomorrow. 'Go inside, get some rest. I'll be right behind you.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Maybe it's just a pebble causing her discomfort,' she suggested, 'or I could be wrong.' Gwenllian smiled at him, a little wider than she would normally have done, and walked inside the inn. With a perfectly straight back she walked across the taproom, nodded at the innkeeper and walked into her room. Rhywallon had the room next to hers. She closed the door behind her, put the basket with groceries down and sank on the bed in a shivering heap. For a few moments, she just lay there, shaking and gasping for breath. Then she pulled herself together, rubbed the tears off her cheek and brushed her fingers through her hair. This was ridiculous. She'd known they were on her heel since the moment she left the household, so why should this be any different? And besides, if they'd been here before her, they were probably quite a ways off already.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
He made his way to the stables, ducked low to inspect the horse. The left leg was slightly swollen. It was barely visible in the semi-darkness here. He thought the horse felt warm. 'Great, then,' he muttered. Perhaps it would be over in the morning. If not...well, whatever. He gave the mare an encouraging pet and left for the room. Before his own door, he hesitated. Then he knocked on her door instead. 'Gwenllian?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
She rubbed her nose and ran her fingers through her hair, quickly getting up and walking towards the door. 'Something wrong?' she asked as she opened the door.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Your animal might have sprained a leg while we were on the road,' he said as his eyes went over her face. It seemed rather pale. 'We'll wait till morning to see how she's doing. You look tired. I won't disturb you anymore. Goodnight.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Goodnight,' she said quietly and closed the door. She really would've preferred it if he'd have stayed, but she daren't ask him. Besides, he would probably call her fears unnecessary and silly. Best if he didn't know. Gwenllian undressed and slipped into bed, yet lay staring at the ceiling for a very long time.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
Rhywallon went to his own room, sat down on his bed and felt how dry his throat was. Better to sleep now and not think about the Romans! Gods willing, their blood would be spilled soon enough.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Gwenllian fell into an uneasy sleep, plagued by the kind of dreams where you're chased. Though instead of being symbolic, in her case it was just a little too real. In the middle of the night she awoke with a start, gasping for breath. To her surprise, she found tears rolling down her cheeks. She quickly mopped them up with her blanket and curled into a little, shivering ball. Don't be so silly, she told herself. There was nothing to be afraid of; not with Rhywallon to protect her. After a while, she fell asleep again.
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