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Vale of the White Horse
Topic Started: 5 Jan 2010, 13:03 (19,324 Views)
Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
She looked like she was on the verge of saying something, but only she didn't. Morcant didn't want to press it, so he let go of her now that she seemed to have calmed down. 'You don't need to worry, I'll stay here until you tell me you don't want me around anymore.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'What if that takes years?' Perhaps it was an odd question. All she knew now was that she couldn't bear to be more alone than she already was now. If he was the only one that knew who she really was, Essylt hoped she'd be able to hold on to her wit.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He had to admit that he hadn't really thought about it, but he figured that it wouldn't take her that long. She was a strong sort of girl; resilient, too. Essylt could cope on her own one day, he was sure of it. Until that time, he'd be there for her. 'If it takes years, so be it,' he said. 'Don't rush on my account.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
She nodded mutely. He was being nice to her – that same grace that had made her feel humbled before, because he was supposed to be the man she should dislike for that horrible event on the hill. His arms had left her and she had mostly stopped shaking. Essylt crouched forward and pressed her lips briefly against the chaste area of his cheek. It was nearly as scary as she had imagined. ‘Thank you. I’m going to get a little fresh air, just outside the house.’ She quickly got up, hoping that he wouldn’t see the flush on her own cheeks.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
A little bewildered, he touched his fingers to his cheek. Perhaps, he thought as he sat there, earning forgiveness wasn't as difficult as he'd thought. Her lips had felt very soft, very warm against his skin. It made him want more, but he deliberately pushed that thought from his mind and got up, with half a mind to excercise his sudden desires off of him.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
The bastard Roman had not returned to the Vale yet, or Rhywallon would have tasted his scent on the wind like a sleuth dog licks his lips for the taste of his prey. It didn’t stop him from searching the settlement each day, sure as he was that the tribune would make an appearance in the caer sooner or later. He’d prefer to snatch him away from this side of the veil before he could strut back up the hill and confront Gwenllian and lady Briallen with that greasy smile of his. Rhywallon looked down on his hands. They were red and irritated from clenching and unclenching – fretting, not like him at all. It wasn’t for Marcus Lentulus either. A brilliant politician with the talents of an alley dog though he may be, the red-haired man wouldn’t possibly outmatch his own abilities. This Roman, he spoke daggers and poison through his mouth. Rhywallon didn’t speak so much, but his daggers and poison had a way of their own; quite as convincing too.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Morcant went outside to look for a spot that would allow for some thorough excercising. As he walked, he wondered if his brothers had already stationed themselves throughout the Vale, and if so, if they had seen him and Essylt arrive. He could try and find that out later, as soon as they were a little settled in their home. He also needed to find out whether or not Lentulus had returned. That was a first priority, he decided as he rounded a corner. Morcant was a little surprised to recognize the back of Rhywallon walking in front of him in the narrow street. But then again, it had been expected. He quickened his pace until he was at the same height with his brother. 'Don't start,' he said quietly, 'it's me.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
He turned around rather jaggedly, unclenching his fists for the thousandth time. ‘Morcant.’ His eyes ran up and down the man’s figure. ‘I spoke to Cuhelyn. He said you weren’t here, had to dash out.’
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Yes. Business took me here anyway, though,' Morcant said with a shrug. 'How's life treating you?' he asked, tilting his head. 'Did you eh, confront that one particular Roman yet?'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
He shook his head briefly. ‘That one’s not back yet.’
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Hrm.' Morcant rubbed his cheek; he needed a shave. ' He's been in Two Lakes again,' he said darkly, 'did some things there that require some form of penance.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
‘Two lakes. Your station.’ Rhywallon raised his eyebrows. ‘Things such as?’
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Burglary and attempted rape,' he said, his voice sounding detached and distant. 'I intend to make him pay. Get a message permanently across.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
‘Sounds like nothing new,’ he remarked. ‘Isn’t Two Lakes where you got your hostage, brother?’
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'Yes.' Morcant shrugged as if that was of no moment. 'Why are you down here, I thought you'd gotten lodging in the caer itself, with your ladyfriend.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
He smiled crookedly. ‘Maybe I have found sense in the same notion as yourself. I’ll have to disappoint you. We can’t kill the man.’
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaws together. 'Why not?' he demanded to know.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Because lady Briallen did not give her consent. She's worried and I think her very bright for that.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Morcant let his breath out slowly. 'That bastard's lucky,' he grunted. Despite his earlier wishes, Morcant now fervently hoped the man was smart enough to steer clear of the Vale.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
‘And we are not. Yet.’ He looked around. ‘You’re staying in the settlement?’
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Morcant nodded. 'Claimed one of the houses on the edge. Any Roman who disagrees, will answer to my fists.'
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'Got something else there as well?'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
Morcant muttered something under his breath.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
'She might be saver up in the caer,' Rhywallon replied to the darkness from Morcan't mouth. 'But keep your business to yourself. Stay on guard, brother - look sharp. That Lentulus is more a man of brain than you are.'
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
'She doesn't want to,' he answered tersely, then straightened. Morcant was well aware of his lacking in that particular department, but that wasn't reason for Rhywallon to rub it in. 'I'm always on guard, and I'll lay low for the time being.' There just wasn't much else he could do, was there?
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
‘Good man. I will see you around.’
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
He nodded in reply and turned into a sidestreet, mulling over Rhywallon's words as he got back to looking for a place to loosen his stiff muscles. Knowing that Lentulus could return without him being able to do anything about the man didn't do much for the tension in his shoulders, and he really wanted to destroy something now.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
Rhywallon climbed the hill to the caer steadily. He wasn’t sure how to act; was he obliged to inform the lord Tudwrig of this whole stationary of the brotherhood around his household? Gwyddien had give him no such orders. But then – wasn’t he more in employment with Caer March’s lady? Gwenllian was here; there was no doubt that he had to think what was best for her.
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Sonja
Red & dangerous! Rawr!
They had travelled as quickly as possible, yet Rufus had found Higueid's company to be a test of the patience. It took him all the self-control he could muster not to slit the man's throat in his sleep. As it was, he needed him: another body on the hill before Caer March would unnerve and quite possibly frighten the little household. Then he, Rufus, would do his very best to cover the entire thing up so as to keep Tudwrig and Briallen from being discredited. That would give him even more sway over politics in the Vale, and he'd be rid of a very bothersome chieftain. Though he'd probably have killed Higueid anyway; the man lacked every sort of regard for the female half of mankind, and it really got on his nerves to hear him talk about how a good trashing was the only way to keep a woman in check. Rufus had an incling why Gwenllian had ran away. He really couldn't blame her.
On a grey morning, they finally crested the last hill. Caer March was there just as he had left it; the settlement looked to be finally finished. Rufus licked his lips and looked at Higueid. 'You remember what we agreed upon?' he asked quietly.
The man nodded, directing a flat look at the caer. 'I'll stay in the settlement until you make up an excuse to get Gwenllian out of the caer,' he said. Rufus noted that he didn't seem all too happy following orders from someone else, but that was just too bad for him.
'Exactly. If it is your wife, I encourage you to take her away as quickly as you can without lingering for any..., ah, lenghty confrontations. I'll smoothen things out at the caer after that.'
Higueid gave a snort. 'Whatever you say, my lord.' But Rufus heard by the tone of his voice that the man wasn't going to leave as soon as he got his hands on Gwenllian, which was just as well. They rode down the hill, towards the settlement.
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Marieke
Lief! <3 (and powerful!)
Briallen gathered the pure white feathers. The swan lay dead before her, like a limp offering on an altar. It wasn’t often that they got to prepare a meal with such meat. The feathers would make a good decoration. She thought about a new dress. Perhaps with embroidered swans around the sleeves. Briallen bound the pens together with a piece of string and made her way over the courtyard, passing the workshops. Someone was working on wood; she could smell the warm, organic scent as the wood dust rained down. When she peeked inside, she saw a man bowed low with a chisel in his hand. He was working on a cradle, so carefully that he didn’t even notice her standing there. Briallen watched in silence, her breath somehow caught between a sigh and silence. Such a fine collection of feathers could also make a lovely mobile. It hurt a little. If she and Tudwrig had a normal marriage, would she be thinking about her own baby’s cradle now? She’d had been working on baby clothes on her arrival in Caer March. They had gradually moved to the back of her storage chest, unfinished and forlorn.
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