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| Vale of the White Horse | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: 5 Jan 2010, 13:03 (19,400 Views) | |
| Sonja | 8 Jan 2010, 21:49 Post #121 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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There was that blasted question again. 'Yes,' he answered in a level voice. Tudwrig rolled the treaty up and put it aside. 'I wouldn't even dream of it,' she said. Rhywallon seemed absolutely sure of himself - it was kind of reassuring, really. An uneasy silence fell, and Gwenllian felt a compulsive sort of urge to start talking. The only thing that kept her was the line false sense of familiarity being repeated in her head over and over again. There was certainly a lot more to this man than he let show, but she would probably never find out. 'Directions?' The girl blinked stupidly. 'I don't know, I'll get you the boss, miss.' She walked off and talked to the innkeeper for a few seconds. He returned, a curious expression on his face as he took in the girl before him. 'I heard you wanted directions,' he grunted. |
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| Deleted User | 8 Jan 2010, 21:55 Post #122 |
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"Yes kind sir, I do," Aeronwy replied cheerful. "If it is not too much trouble for you. I have to get to the Vale of the White Horse, for I have a task to fullfill there. If you would be so kind to tell me the road I have to take to get there, it would be of much help and I would appreciate it very much." She wouldn't bother him with the task itself, that was only meant for her and the goddess. Which reminded her, she'd have to find a place to do her daily ritual. But first, the directions. |
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| Marieke | 8 Jan 2010, 22:00 Post #123 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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Briallen watched his face as it shut like an iron gate before her. ‘I- I am sorry,’ she stammered. ‘Of course. It is such a sad thing…It must upset you.’ But it had been a perfectly legitimate question to ask, she thought. What had he just said about no secrets? ‘Shall we move to the hearth, my lord? It seems the castle is a little chilly without the sun.’ ‘Well,’ he said. ‘If that is all…Or do you need help getting your supplies? I recommend another cloak, an oiled one. It is going to get rainier as we proceed.’ |
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| Sonja | 8 Jan 2010, 22:08 Post #124 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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He nodded and got up - slowly, he didn't want a sudden spell of dizzyness evaporating his selfcontrol. 'You'll have to excuse me,' he managed as he offered her his arm. 'Please, tell me a little about yourself. What you like to do during the day, for example.' She was just about to say that she could manage perfectly fine on her own, but then changed her mind. 'If you've nothing pressing to attend to, I should like the help.' 'Just follow the road outta this place, and for as far as you can,' the innkeeper started, and gave her the directions she had asked for. When he had finished, the maid had appeared with her milk and bread. He was just about to go back to his business, when he suddenly said: 'I don't remember seeing you come in, when did you arrive?' |
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| Deleted User | 8 Jan 2010, 22:12 Post #125 |
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Deleted User
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Aeronwy quickly hid her blushing face behind the cup of milk and took a big gulp, which made her half choke on it. She coughed loudly and gasped for air. "I'm sorry," she panted and put the cup down. "Eh, you must have missed me. One of your maids let me in last night. She said you were sleeping already, and that she didn't want to bother you." |
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| Marieke | 8 Jan 2010, 22:18 Post #126 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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She had the feeling she was supporting him rather than the other way around. ‘I haven’t had much time for myself these past few years,’ she admitted softly as they walked down the dais to the hearth. There were some benches. No pillows, but a few furs were draped over the wood. She looked up the closest tapestry. There was a trace of blue that once must have been bright, and yellow. The sun maybe, in a cloudless sky? It was very hard to tell. ‘My mother, when she was fit to listen, sometimes requested I tell her stories. So in time, when I ran out of stories I knew, I began making things up.’ Briallen could see the pallid face of her mother very clearly; she didn’t even have to close her eyes. The cloud of chestnut hair, so much like her own, had lost the gleam during that sickbed. ‘If comprehending a tale was too tiring for her, I’d simply hum a melody until she was…was asleep.’ Definitely a sky, there on the tapestry. It must have been such a beautiful day. She kept her eyes on it to banish out the vision of her mother with a face in which death had taken over already, counting the breaths she still had to breathe, the heartbeats she had left. ‘I do fine embroidery. I used to.’ Her answer surprised him. Earlier she had seemed almost offended by the suggestion that she was not capable on her own. ‘Very well.’ |
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| Sonja | 8 Jan 2010, 22:31 Post #127 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'Used to, not anymore?' He sat down on the bench and stared into the flames. Ah, what wouldn't he give to lead a life as simple as Briallen had - uptil now, that is. Tudwrig really didn't see why this marriage should be different from the other two and it made him feel slightly sick. Though with all the bad rumours that were circulating, and the critique the other chieftains had, he had no way out. About all he could do was to have his wife stay away from him when he didn't have himself under control, but that was hardly as foolproof a method as he might have hoped. 'An oiled cloak, you said,' Gwenllian repeated. She hadn't thought of it herself, which she found vaguely annoying. Right until this moment, she'd felt quite capable of managing on her own, but reality suddenly decided to demand her attention in a rather disconcerting way. 'What else would my bodyguard advise?' It was a feeble attempt at humor, but she couldn't stand all this gloom and whatnot. He shot her a suspicious glance. She must've been very late indeed. 'I see. And did the maid take your money, hm?' |
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| Deleted User | 8 Jan 2010, 22:40 Post #128 |
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Deleted User
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"Eh, money, well, eh," Aeronwy stuttered, turning even more red. She actually had... no money at all since she left in such a hurry. "Yes, she did. She said she would give it to you first thing tomorrow morning." She prayed to the goddess that he'd believe her, because she really had no time to pay off her night's rest with chores. |
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| Marieke | 8 Jan 2010, 22:48 Post #129 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘I’ll likely pick it up,’ she said, forcing the sad images from her mind. Instead she focussed on him. He wasn’t very dashing but there was a certain pleasing look to him all the same. ‘In fact, I have. I started back home on something, just to practice my hand a bit. And you, Tudwrig? If you’re not ill, of course.’ Glancing down to her feet, he saw what he already suspected. ‘You fled with very nice boots, but I see they’re worn down already. You’ll need new one. Less elegant, I’m afraid, but there will be parts where we cannot ride. You must have something to protect your feet from water and rocks. It is essential. For heaven’s sake!’ He got up, tired of hearing the stuttered conversation in the background. If the girl had no money, she should make up better lies before she sneaked into an establishment. He took two silver coins from the bag Gwenllian had given him. ‘Slip the money to her, then meet me down the street.’ |
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| Sonja | 8 Jan 2010, 23:02 Post #130 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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Tudwrig stared into the flames for a while. 'I would like to see your handiwork, if you are all right with that, of course.' He tore his gaze away from the hearth and smiled at Briallen. 'Me? Oh - I have simple pleasures. Watching the sky on a clear day, for instance, or listening to the gentle rush of a brook. But even if I do feel well, I cannot seem to find the time.' Gwenllian raised an eyebrow, but didn't ask. Perhaps Rhywallon wasn't all brutality and blunt remarks. When he'd made his way from the tavern, she got up and walked towards the innkeeper and the girl. '...didn't get no money, so don't lie to me, girl.' 'Ah - excuse me,' she interrupted with a smile. 'I am terribly sorry, but I would like to speak to you for a moment, sir.' Interposing herself between the man and the girl, she let the two coins drop on the girls lap. The innkeeper leered at her. 'Can't it wait? I'm busy.' She heaved a sigh. 'It's really very important,' she started. 'Oh well, I will return for it later, then.' |
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| Deleted User | 8 Jan 2010, 23:07 Post #131 |
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Aeronwy gasped when the two coins fell into her lap and quickly moved them into her pocket. The goddess must have sent her this sign, this girl couldn't be helping her for no reason! She wondered why the goddess sent her such a strange sign though, because there never had been someone interfering with her before. But, she mustn't question her faith. "Oh, I am terribly sorry, sir," she said to the innkeeper. "I completely forgot that I hadn't paid the maid! Here are two silver coins, for my room and my breakfast." She offered the innkeeper the coins and smiled gratefull to the girl standing in front of her. |
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| Marieke | 8 Jan 2010, 23:16 Post #132 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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We’ll get you outside sometime, Briallen thought, remembering Braegne’s words. ‘Was it rude of me to inquire after your past marriages?’ she tried again. Though she kept her voice delicate, and tried to tell herself that it was indeed a harmless question – what young bride would not want to know the past of the man she would be marrying? – she was also certain that he tried to evade the subject. He walked away before he could see if Gwenllian really did what he had told her. There really was no reason to help a foolish wench but it seemed that girls in need were sprinkled on his path like hail on the road in winter. Perhaps the gods had decided it was ready to pay for his sins. As if he had not paid retribution as it was! His mouth twitched into a small line. At least it wasn’t raining yet. The sky was grey. |
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| Sonja | 8 Jan 2010, 23:24 Post #133 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'No - not rude,' he sighed. 'It's simply something I do not wish to dwell on.' When the innkeeper looked at the coins in his hands in a rather suspsicious way, Gwenllian quietly slipped away. The girl had smiled gratefully at her, but is was Rhywallon she should be thanking. Not that she could know, of course. Once outside, she looked around and then walked down the street until she found him. 'She was grateful,' she told him. He bit down on both coins, then grunted and slipped them in his pocket. 'All right. Everything's in order, then.' |
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| Marieke | 8 Jan 2010, 23:36 Post #134 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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He wasn’t going to talk about it. She shrugged her braid back over her shoulder and silently sat next to him. Perhaps he was a man who enjoyed the silence more. ‘She was silly,’ he muttered, turning around. ‘I hope you will not be like her, Gwenllian. Anyway, there’s the place to buy you your supplies. Don’t expect anything in exactly your size; to have him make something especially for you is a luxury we can’t….or, rather we could, but shall not afford. It would only draw suspicion on you if your husband’s men grace this place with a visit.’ |
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| Sonja | 8 Jan 2010, 23:44 Post #135 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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He turned his gaze to the flames once more. It wasn't fair to Briallen, but what could he do? He lacked the courage to tell her the truth, certainly, and he didn't want to add to her troubles either. 'Those stories you told your mother,' he asked softly, 'what were they about? The ones you thought of yourself, I mean.' 'Spending the night in an inn if I can't afford it? Don't worry about that,' she sniffed and looked at the place he had indicated. 'Clothes I can adapt myself, and if my cloak is a little wider than I am - I can live with that.' |
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| Marieke | 9 Jan 2010, 20:28 Post #136 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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'Oh, they...they're just silly things.' She wasn't eager to have him find out what childish stories she had to tell for her mother to understand. 'You know how stories are about heroes and kings? I made up stories about ordinary people who got tangled in the affairs of the Good Folk, one way or another.' 'Hm, it's not your cloak that can be too big,' he said, drumming with a finger against his lips. 'It's your boots that I'm worried about.' |
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| Sonja | 9 Jan 2010, 20:35 Post #137 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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A bitter smile appeared on his face. 'And did they all end in a happily ever after?' He stretched his legs towards the fire and enjoyed the warmth. His mind was still remarkably clear, and he silently thanked the gods for it. 'Perhaps I get lucky,' she said, though she wasn't all too sure of it. Boots could be filled up with straw, but it certainly wasn't going to be pleasant to walk around in them if they weren't the proper size. |
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| Marieke | 9 Jan 2010, 20:39 Post #138 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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'I tried,' Briallen answered carefully. 'I did not want to upset her.' They would just have to see. He coaxed her inside the small workshop. A man was bent over a working bench, his upper body bared and sweating as he worked on the leather. |
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| Sonja | 9 Jan 2010, 20:51 Post #139 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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If only his story would have a happily ever after, he would be forever grateful. He didn't tell Briallen that, for the same reason she tried to give the stories she told her mother happy endings. 'It's a beautiful thing, to care for one's relatives in such a way. You are a good woman, and I am more than honoured that you'll be my wife.' The firelight flared up, or only seemed to, and he closed his eyes for it. Perhaps they should move away from it, lest it gave him a headache, but he didn't dare to suggest it. Gwenllian looked curiously around the workshop, at all the instruments, pieces of leather and finished products. Upon noticing them, the man looked up and grunted. 'Can I help you?' he asked gruffly. |
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| Marieke | 9 Jan 2010, 20:55 Post #140 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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She felt a touch of warmth inside of her. This marriage might very well turn into a good one. He was attentive and friendly; he seemed to honour her as a woman. She relaxed her shoulders. 'What about your own family?' she asked. 'It seems to me you are alone in Caer March. Do you have kinsmen still?' 'We will be travelling,' Rhywallon said. 'The lady needs good clothing. Boots, especially.' |
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| Sonja | 9 Jan 2010, 21:04 Post #141 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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He shook his head. 'No, they're -' before he could finish the sentence, he dissolved into a fit of coughing. When it was over, he felt dizzy and rubbed his temples. 'I have no one here, only a couple of distant cousins in Fairbrook,' he answered hoarsely. 'You've come to the right place, then.' The man got up with a groan and wiped his hands on his apron. 'Come 'ere, lady, and sit yourself down.' He pointed at a small bench. Gwenllian did as she was told and, when requested, held out her right foot. 'What kind of boots is it you're in need of?' asked the artisan, feeling her own boot with a surprisingly soft touch. 'Sturdy enough to last me a while on a long journey,' she answered. 'Hrm. You'll want them made to measure, I suppose?' |
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| Marieke | 9 Jan 2010, 21:13 Post #142 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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She nodded. Again she felt how secluded this place was compared with Shadow Well or even Salt Lake's Reach. 'Is it lonely?' 'I hoped you had a second-hand pair,' Rhywallon said lightly. 'Something about her size?' 'Hm, something about maybe,' the man said, getting up with a groan. 'A bit old, though.' He almost regretted it for Gwenllian. 'We'll have them. |
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| Sonja | 9 Jan 2010, 21:18 Post #143 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'At times,' he managed, 'but you get used to it.' Breathing calmly, that was the key. He hoped against hope Briallen wouldn't notice. When the man returned with the boots in question, Gwenllian couldn't help but to briefly wrinkle her nose. She got her expression under control before Rhywallon noticed (or so she hoped) and told herself that there was no other way. 'How much are they?' she asked, getting up. He named his price and she haggled a bit over it, not entirely faking her dislike over the boots. Finally they came to an agreement, and she paid the man. |
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| Marieke | 9 Jan 2010, 21:23 Post #144 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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'Ah, well. I hope I can have some family over in time. Of course, if the gods are willing, we will have children of our own.' She knew that her own mouth was saying the words, but it still sounded odd. 'A normal, oiled cloak as well,' he said, deciding not to comment on Gwenllian's fine sense of smell if she disliked the boots. |
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| Sonja | 9 Jan 2010, 21:35 Post #145 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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'Gods willing, yes,' he said, hardly noticing what she was talking about. It had to be something important, that much he knew, but somehow he didn't register the words; it was like they had to make their way through thick treacle, and the treacle didn't agree with it. 'An oiled cloak, yessir,' the man said. 'Secondhand, too?' 'Depends on how much a new one costs,' Gwenllian said, determined to at least have some control over her purchase. 'Well, lady, if it's gotta be as good quality as your boots, you'll be looking at round and about a silver coin. You're rather small, but I think...' He lapsed into muttering to himself and disappeared into the back, coming back with a couple of cloaks. She put each one on, then turned to Rhywallon. 'What does my bodyguard advise?' |
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| Marieke | 9 Jan 2010, 21:38 Post #146 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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Once again, she knew that he wasn't showing as much enthousiasm as one would expect of a young groom. 'Are you afraid of it?' she asked softly. It was a blunt question; too blunt, really. She felt herself grow warmer, her face must redden. 'I mean, I don't know much about all of this, but I thought you...' He looked at her, arms crossed. 'Choose whatever you want,' he told her then quietly. 'It is only one silver coin.' |
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| Sonja | 9 Jan 2010, 21:45 Post #147 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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Children. She had been talking about children. What, now? He shook his head in an attempt to clear it from the cobwebs that had appeared. 'I don't know if this is hereditary,' he forced out, pointing at himself. 'I'll take this one, then,' she said and pointed at the second cloak she'd worn. It was the simplest of the three, but looked better than the boots, in any case. Before paying, she asked whether she would need anything more. |
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| Marieke | 13 Jan 2010, 19:38 Post #148 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘Well, your grandfather and father had children,’ she pointed out gently, though she shared his doubt. It would be nothing less than cruel to put children into the world if they would be tainted with such a terrible sickness. ‘And my lineage is perfectly healthy.’ She had meant it to be encouraging, but realized right away that it came out rather blunt, even offensive. ‘That are some interesting tapestries,’ she moved on quickly. ‘Nothing that I don’t have on me,’ he answered, turning around. ‘For now, that is.’ |
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| Sonja | 13 Jan 2010, 19:54 Post #149 |
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Red & dangerous! Rawr!
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It was probably safe to say that this disease didn't run in the family, but he kept silent. He didn't quite register Briallen's remark about lineage, because his heart was beating in his throat, its steady rythm thundering in his ears. Why was she talking about pastries? No - tapestries! He forced his eyes open and stared at the coverings she had mentioned. 'They've been in the family for a long time,' he forced himself to say. 'All right.' Gwenllian paid the man his due and, looking at Rhywallon's back, picked up her purchases. Just because she had hired him to be her bodyguard didn't mean that she wouldn't need to carry her own things anymore, she mentally scolded herself. Once outside, she took a deep breath - the air had been slightly stuffy in the workshop, smelling of newly processed leather. |
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| Marieke | 13 Jan 2010, 20:07 Post #150 |
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Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
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‘Yes. I thought they must.’ Gods, she was feeling more awkward by the minute! Briallen had wished to speak to her betrothed but now that she finally seemed to have her chance, she found that it was just as hard as dwelling alone through the corridors of Caer March. She swallowed. ‘My maid has prepared the draught for you, my lord. If you wish to try it, I can fetch it now…It’s completely harmless, of course.’ She turned her face to look at him, seeking his eyes directly. Rhywallon waited until she had caught up with him. ‘Now, it may take a while before we reach Caer March,’ he told her, looking grimly ahead of him. The street was empty. Just as well. There were several names on his list, and he hoped that he would deal with them before Gwenllian had sought sanctuary in the remote household of the chieftain of the Vale. Not because he wanted the girl with him so badly, but his hands longed for dark, deep and hot blood. To wait was testing. |
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