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Vale of the White Horse
Topic Started: 5 Jan 2010, 13:03 (19,385 Views)
Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Sorry.' They reached the hall. She let go of him and lingered a pace behind, to give him the full entrance.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Tudwrig nodded stiffly at the Roman officer and motioned to a servant to bring a third chair. 'You will excuse my late appearance,' he said, 'I felt unwell.'
'So I've heard. My sincerest wishes for your quick recovery.'
With his lips pursed, Tudwrig sat down in the third chair.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'And, might I mention - congratulations on your wedding. I'm sure your lovely wife informed you of my current request.' Marcus smiled. 'I imagine you'll be eager. The original settlement disappeared over three decades ago..No, longer, was it not?'

Briallen sat herself on a lower bench, draped with soft furs and pressed her hands together.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'When my grandfather was chieftain,' Tudwrig answered coolly. 'A little over forty years, actually.'
'Ah.' Marcus sat himself down again and smiled his thin smile. 'Well, shall we discuss my request?'
'Of course. Exactly how many people will be living in the settlement?'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Fifty souls, men and women. Of course, we'll keep a small base as a military station. Caer March. I do hope you understand....With so little a household and so few men-at-arms, I daresay the space it offers is perfect.'
Briallen held her breath. A settlement and Roman import would definitely increase the wealth of the Valley, and Caer March would blossom again, she had no doubt. But Roman soldiers in Caer March? 'You're reducing my husband to a puppet!' she hissed, unsettled.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'A puppet?' he repeated, amused. 'Hardly, lady. It's simply advantageous for both parties.'
Tudwrig narrowed his eyes suspsiciously. He didn't like the Roman's slick tone of voice at all. But truth be told, there wasn't much he could do; Marcus Iulus had made that quite clear the first time they'd met. 'I expect there will be changes in matters of authority,' he said coolly. It would be a comfort if he could hold Briallen's hand, but he didn't dare to.
Marcus smiled. 'Oh, hardly anything to worry about. It certainly doesn't merit the accusations your wife just threw at me.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She lowered her gaze, wanting to hide the smouldering anger and unease in her eyes. 'Forgive me. I spoke out of turn.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'That you did.' Marcus turned to Tudwrig again.
'I would like to get back to our business, I am still not well,' he said.
The Roman smiled slickly. 'And that's why we would like to help you with everyday business as much as we can.'
'I'm sure of it,' Tudwrig answered drily. 'Very well, you have my permission for the settlement.' He put a faint stress on permission. 'We will discuss the other matters at a later date, if you don't mind.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'The permission came from our Emperor in Rome,' Marcus said coolly. 'Informing you beforehand was the curtesy. Very well, my lord. Lady. Take my fondest wellwishes for the both of you.' He smiled like a fox. 'Expect me back within a short few days.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'I cannot wait,' Tudwrig said, not bothering to keep the edge from his voice. The Roman turned on his heels and left without saying another word. Glaring after him, Tudwrig shook his head. Then, when he was completely sure the man was out of earshot, he got up and kicked an unoffending log into the fire with a growl of frustration.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She breathed out hard, thinking that she was absolutely trapped between an monster for a husband, the rain season and a sly Roman official. 'Settlements appear all over the Dobunni lands,' she tried to amend Tudwrigs obvious anger. 'It does not have to be bad. The man said he would let matters as they are for the most part. That's what Romans do, they just...pass us by, leave some people behind.'
But it was the Roman soldiers that left a bitter taste in her mouth.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'That's what he says. Whether he really does leave it the way it is, is an entirely different matter.' He sank on his chair with a moody look on his face. 'It's men like Marcus Iulius that set my teeth on edge. You were right with what you said, you know. He won't stop invading in my business until I'm a mindless puppet.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'I'm sorry,' she said helplessly, staring into the hearth fire. 'We're not such a warring tribe as the Silurii. What can we do?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Bother that Roman pig every time he thinks of turning around. I'm certainly not going to sit idly by while he strips me of what little power I have left. It was bad enough when I had to strike a deal with him to keep my people safe.' He shook his head jerkily. But what could he do? Tudwrig was well aware of the fact that the curse could rear its ugly head any moment, and only the gods knew for how long he'd be incapacitated.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She turned around, looking at his pale, unsettled face. Her husband looked as if he had ridden through a storm at night. 'That is admirable,' she said softly, holding out her hand. 'Come, stand by the fire. It'll warm you.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He hesitated for a moment, then got up and stood next to Briallen. The fire was a small comfort, as was her presence. Tudwrig attempted to smile at her. 'Will you help me? There may be times I cannot talk to him because of the curse...' He really shouldn't be asking her this, but it was far less likelier that Marcus Iulius would listen to Eiluned. At least Briallen had official status as chieftain's wife and head of the household.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Obviously,' she said, thinking hard. The small household could definitely use more wealth and a Roman settlement was just the way to do it. 'I'll assign a place of the castle to the Roman soldiers. In time, I'll oversee the settlement. Perhaps we can gain more influence if I show up and take interest in their lives.' She smiled grimly.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'You'll charm them right out of their wits, I'm sure,' he said with a faint smile. Her words made him feel slightly better about the situation. 'Thank you, Briallen.' Tudwrig brushed his fingers against her hand, gently taking a hold of it.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She said nothing. This promise, the responsibilities of it, made it certain that she could not back away after two weeks. It made her feel suffocated; damn Romans!
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He didn't know why she had fallen silent, but he could make a guess. It was all his fault, of course. Damn that curse! He suddenly felt irrationally angry, at fate and the world, for making him what he was. He let go of Briallen's hand and stared into the fire. 'I never took you out on that ride I promised, did I?' he suddenly wondered out loud.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She shook her head. 'No. You didn't.' There was another heavy silence in which she realized that he was looking like a miserable child. She turned to him. 'Oh, I'm sorry. I'm not blaming you, Tudwrig. You do know that, do you?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Frankly, I wouldn't have thought it strange if you were.' He looked out of the window. 'It's still early, and the weather doesn't look too bad. We can go now, if you want,' he added after hesitating for a bit.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Tudwrig...' She shook her head, worrying. What if he turned into a monster right when they were out riding? Briallen moved closer, putting her hands on either side of his face gently. 'Don't you need rest?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'I'd prefer fresh air, really.' He tried to look reassuring. 'But if you don't want to, it's okay. Honestly.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She paused, pushing her fears back to a place where he could not read if from her face. Her hands fell back, but not before she traced his skin briefly with her fingertips. 'Then let's go.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Oh, good.' Tudwrig smiled and closed his hand around hers, taking her to the courtyard. Eiluned was nowhere to be seen, which was probably just as well. She'd only protest. He ordered the stableboys to saddle two horses and pack enough provisions to last them until supper. They probably wouldn't be gone for that long, but it never hurt anyone to be prepared for eventualities.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Our lady Epona must have been revered strongly in these lands once,' Briallen remarked a while later, as she and Tudwrig rode over the gentle slope up to the chalk white hill figure. 'It's truly very beautiful.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'It is,' he nodded. The fresh air had done wonders for both his mood and his health; he felt rather more alive than before, and looked around at their surroundings. Tudwrig pulled the reigns of his horse, stopping very near to the first of the chalk lines of the figure. 'I haven't been here in a while. You've seen the Blowing Stone on your way here?'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Yes, though I was too nervous and weary to pay it much attention.' She halted her horse and dismounted. The earth beneath her feet was a bit muddy, for it had rained last night. Despite that it soiled the hem of her dress, she became very aware of the ancient quality this hill bore. The earth and the stones most certainly carried the memory of many generations of her kin, the Dobunni blood that ran through her veins also. The old horse that spread the mound was a silent testimony of that. 'Eiluned told me it makes an otherworldly music if you blow through the hole. She said not to try it; people have known to disappear behind the veil of the Otherworld.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Yes, best be careful with the Otherworld,' he said quietly and got off his horse as well. He walked towards Briallen with his hands folded behind his back, looking at the chalked lines. 'You can see Blowing Stone from here, right there.' He pointed off into the distance.
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