One Rainy Night in Mariner's Hold...

[RollinsCat]

...the door to the Buckle is opened.  Moonlight glitters off wet stone past the open doorway for a brief second and then is blocked by a tall and ungainly silhouette, someone in the arms of another.  In the dim room there is a rustling of fabric, and the soft thup of feet hitting wood; then a barely audible gasp.  The patter of rain is gone with a click of the latch.  Silence is replaced by a momentarily incredulous male voice, his low tenor shining through ordinary speech.

"Welcome home, love."







/[SIZE=10]/for clarification, these events happen after the Sederan Desert Defense Initiative (Dezza's quest series) and before any Belinara offensives.

Also, the Buckle is still closed except to those few Andrew has contacted.  Thanks for continuing to wait.[/SIZE]

[Anamnesis]

As her feet finally touched the ground of her new home. Her smile and tears shown. How long had she been gone? She had lost track of time. She thought it to be a dream, as her eyes fell on the door they had just passed through and settled on its intricate design and sturdy craftsmanship that kept the rain at bay. She did not care that she was wet from the rain, only that she was home again. She could not allow herself to think about leaving yet, only that she was home, and it was a feeling she wanted to remember, and so she stared at the door taking her time until his voice reached her, and she smiled as he told her about the sign and oxen friendly entrance. She tried to just absorb the reality of finally being home and all that meant to her, and she reached to grasp his hand again, as he began to show her more of their home.

[RollinsCat]

He watched her for a very long time.  There was no light in their room, only the lantern glow from the hall leaking under the door, and it took him a while to make out her dusty grey outline under the blanket.  Longer still to count the rise and fall of her chest, the involuntary twitches that marked deep sleep.

She was exhausted and they hadn't yet finished the tour.  He hadn't thought much about how large the Silver Buckle was until he was trying to show it to her, walking the cavernous tavern and all the attendant rooms.  They'd rested frequently, he made sure she was fed and had juice to carry around, and at that leisurely pace they'd managed the downstairs and then pretty much straight to the bedroom, which brought a smile to his face.  She'd saved some strength, after all.  Perhaps that was why her disinterest in the lodging rooms; if so, he was grateful, and purred a little at the memory.

He found himself counting her breaths and forced himself to stop, reaching through song to calm himself.  Even after she had been pronounced cured, even after being able to touch her and kiss her, there was lingering fear and the prospect of another long separation.  She would return to Xora's protection soon to continue the work that she had inadvertently become a subject of.  He would escort her there, hopefully once again with Connor's help for they both knew what she would mean to the Cult and how much danger that put her in.  Then he would go on and fight in his way, and she in hers.  But he would know she was safe and alive.  That left only Ty, and he had plans for that already; if he could not be there for Minu, his son might, Xora willing.  And that would help start the healing process for them all.

She flipped away with a catlike sigh and shrugged the covers over a bare white shoulder.  That sound, that moment, was captured and pressed into the memory that would light his dreams and give him strength in the battles to come.  Each moment since he'd returned to find her standing, being fussed at by the Sisters at the tower and finally strong enough to protest yet another day of bedrest, formed that glowing point of light that had lifted his shoulders and allowed for more than transient, forced smiles.  It was not until he dropped to his knees in front of Xora and the Sisters and he didn't care who else to wrap himself around her for the first time in what felt like years that he had an inkling of the tension he'd carried, and he still ached from muscles unclenching.

Another few minutes and she didn't turn back but snuggled into the mattress a little deeper.  Knowing how long she could sleep these days, he rolled and stood.  She'd noted that their piano was not on the stage when they'd toured.  It was time to fix that.  He could sleep later.

[Anamnesis]

The tour through the Silver Buckle had been beautiful and she enjoyed every step, every painting, every moment in Tashe's arms and she didn't want to miss a moment. Finally as they made their way upstairs, she knew that if they went much further she would collapse on him and she wanted to be held and with him every moment until she just could not stay awake.

Exhaustion gripped her as she had fallen into a deep sleep despite her efforts to stay awake. She didn't even remember dreaming and had no idea how long she had been asleep only that the light and scents of sweet smelling breakfast she would later learn was called congee began to bring her back to the real world.

"Good Morning sleepyhead."

[Anamnesis]

One moment they were talking to Jennara and the next she began to  stretch as she woke, at first burying her head into the pillows,  struggling to wake. She could not even remember how she had made it to  the bed but she could smell the familiar scent of her beloved that  reminded her that she was home even before her eyes began the journey to  open and she knew it was him taking care of her. He had since the first  time he held her in his arms at the Twin Dragon.

She could not deny that everything felt as if it was a journey these  days. Even the walk around the beautifully remodeled Silver Buckle had  been a struggle she hated to admit. She wanted to be cooking in the  kitchen, healing the sick. Helping others. She wanted to hold Ty,  Clarisse, Coreth, Nemo, and Tashe, and for a moment she felt guilty.  

"Please forgive me My Beloved Healing Light. I know I am here to do your  will." She felt miserable and hated it, and it brought her to tears as  she clinched at the pillows, the emotions poured out of her as she  broke. He had tried to reassure her she wasn't a burden but at the  moment it did not make it any better for her, as she was losing days,  and it was confusing for her. She wanted to be strong but it was getting  to her in a way that was difficult for her.

She finally opened her eyes, trying to dry the tears away when she  noticed the letter on the bed beside her, addressed to her in her  beloveds handwriting. She opened the letter as she continued to sniffle  back the tears.

"Minu: I am in the kitchen, should you wake before I return.  If you're  strong enough come sit; otherwise send a summons and I'll come right  back!  I hope you are in the mood for fish?"

How could she help Hlint without being more of a burden to her sisters  if she could not move around on her own. She forced herself to get up  out of the bed, and looked through her closet for a set of clothing she  could wear that would be comfortable to move around in. Slipping on  loose dress, and sandals that slipped on easy, before she made her way  downstairs to the kitchen. Each step kept steady by the walls she held  to. Each step was careful as they had been even with Andrew. She wanted  to be with her beloved and When she made it finally it to the kitchen  she gently pushed open the door.

"I love fish." She offered softly smiling at him.

[RollinsCat]

Conversation hadn't lasted five minutes past Minu's exhaustion.  He'd said his piece, and once her decision was made, neither he nor Symphony had much to say.  He formed and discarded a number of thoughts, chewed on his motives.  He still wasn't sure if it was for Hardy or the dragon - she, must remember that - that he had stepped in.  But a deal was a deal and the older bard had done him right in the past.  That, and he knew his turn was coming.

She sat on a chair he'd sized for Elohanna and swung her legs quietly.  The silence was not entirely comfortable but neither were they inclined to leave.  It was he who finally spoke.

"While she sleeps or before you go, would you like a game of darts and some pear juice?"

She nodded.  Downstairs, she'd already put a few neat holes in the center of the dartboard while waiting, and resumed doing so with her usual quiet efficiency.  The final score, had they been keeping it, would have been shameful.  He sang a few songs as the shining copper darts lodged neatly on the board (her) and somewhere in the general vicinity of the board (him).  She drank her juice, and when the game wound down, he offered her a room for the night.

A gentle head shake.  Although he'd taken pains to avoid overdoing Ilsare's influence downstairs - it was a tavern, not a temple -  he understood.  Goodbyes were short, but the darts had achieved what words could not and he went to his lover's bed with lighter feet.  He remembered to firmly latch and bar the door this time.

................

Minu had less energy the next day, and was more given to emotional bursts.  The size of the place wore her out.  She protested her burden to him, he dismissed it, but he could see the clawing need to do...something in her eyes.  She'd missed breakfast, and Edward and Michael had come and gone without knowing she was there.  He felt a little dirty at the deception but he was careful whom he told.  Paddy was away on some business but the young man had taken a room in the basement as his own and that suited his boss fine.  His reunion with the brothers had been a back-pounding bit of joy, expanding the glow of his lover's recovery, and even in the face of what was certainly to come he felt another baby step toward normal.

He decided not to tell Minu about the boys coming round, and waited until after their fish and rice lunch before bringing up leaving.

"Love, you're wanting to get back to work, and you won't be safe here forever.  Let's see if we can contact Connor, if he's willing, and get you to Hlint again.  And - if we can find a bodyguard for you, I would not be unhappy...in fact, Nokka is still there, isn't he?  And he's got the constitution of a golem so he's likely not sick.  I want him attached to you like a barnacle, Minu.  Never out of your sight."

[Anamnesis]

She let out a defeated sigh, as she knew he was right, but hated that she may be a burden to someone else to whom she knew probably had better things to do than be her babysitter. She trusted Nokka though, for some reason she was not sure why, except that he was always honest with her and made sure she took care of herself.

After taking the last bite of her fish she looked up at him thoughtfully, "If we are able to convince Nokka. He is so busy already moving things around the town and taking care of supplies, providing relief where it is needed. But if you can convince him. I trust that he will do his best to keep me out of trouble though. Once he finishes yelling at me for not telling him that I left to begin with."

"As for Connor, I can only think he may return to Xora's. I am not so sure though that Lianna can make it there without drawing attention from the Cult. They are already watching her My Love."

[RollinsCat]

Their first real argument.  The emotions behind the words left a residual buzz in the pantry, even though the resolution had changed; thank the Muse Symphony had come by again!  He let out a snort at the irony of that thought.

Minu had been adamant about returning to Hlint.  He'd tried to convince her to keep Nokka close, then to adopt a disguise, something, anything that might keep her safe from the Cult.  Her stiffening, her arms folding, the sudden hardness around her eyes...'I am not a baby!'  Okay, fine, he was being overprotective.  A man's right, after all, where his family is involved.  In the end, she was going to do what she was going to do, and his stomach was a churning hollow pit thinking of how vulnerable she'd be.

With a grunt and a back aching more than he'd let on, he lined up another shelf.  He'd put up a number of them yesterday before their descent into lover's quarrel and he didn't remember much of the conversation between the ladies after they'd all retired to the fire in the quiet space.  He remembered sitting, and Symphony whispering rational points that he didn't have the energy to back with even a nod, then...being uncomfortably warm with sweat damping his velvet collar, and a massive pop that turned out to be the fire hitting a sap pocket in a log.  And Minu talking about leaving for Xora's tower the next day and Symphony nodding.

Women.

The Commander agreed to contact Blackford with her device; she had one as Argali did, bloody handy that; to see if Connor was there and would consent to transporting them back to the tower.  He hated to use the man as a one-man caravan but it was the safest way.  He'd find a way to repay.  Minu had suggested they make a full-out romantic dinner for Connor and Anna by the piano.  Maybe after the war...  She'd fallen asleep soon after, as he was offering to give Symphony the full tour of the place.  He could see Minu's momentary panic at the idea of walking the Buckle again.  Did he mind if she stayed where she was?  No, love.  Sleep...

And that night, after the tour, some exposition on what he'd kept and what had changed, Symphony stayed.  With Minu set on leaving after breakfast, it seemed the best idea.  He'd given her one of the mahogany suites, then left to carry Minu from the downstairs couch to the bedroom, and collapsed only to wake early.

With a scrape that etched a line in the floorboard varnish, another set of heavy shelves tapped into place.  She was leaving today.  The churning had subsided; she'd be safer in the tower.  But their brief vacation was at an end, and he felt the same pangs that accompany the last hours of a much-anticipated event.  How did time go so fast?

Light footsteps not trying to conceal themselves.  Too light and fast to be Minu.  His cue to start cooking breakfast.  Maybe she'd like to cook together with him?  With a cat stretch, he pulled fruit, oatmeal, and butter off the shelves and headed to the kitchen.

[Anamnesis]

The days has passed to quickly as she had slept through most of them, She had toured the rooms after she woke to find she had missed breakfast and then worked her way back down through the maze of rooms and hallways to the sound of shelves scrapping the floor below.

Along the way she had stopped by Ironsdottir and tried to focus enough to do the grand piano justice, though the piano reflected how she currently felt in its tones. It sounded like branches in the wind being scraped against a glass window in a storm, and so she lowered the keyboard cover ready to give up. Sitting there thoughtfully until Andrew came up and began to sing, his beautiful voice inspiring her to try again. She lifted the cover again and this time the melody was not nearly so abrasive, and much more as if two friends were reuniting again. How she had missed sitting behind the grand instrument and letting her emotions carry through its chords. It had been through Andrews encouragement and her love of music that had brought the two together in her home in Llast and now, the grand piano set on the stage of the beautifully and equally grand Inn. They belonged together much as Andrew and his love of Ilsare belonged together.

Finally after a few minutes he invited her to the kitchen for a wonderful fish dinner, with rice and wine. Always encouraging her to eat to build her strength. Always was his love and patience with her that even after their quarrel she had apologized to him for making him worry. She knew he only wanted to protect her because he loved her, and through their friends equal concern and care for them both. Jennara had spoke with reason, without judgement, and changed Elohanna's mind about returning to Hlint.

Finally she had made up her mind, that she would return to help the sisters, continue their research of the recovery process, and to help them manufacture the cure to help the others who needed it most. Heading back to Hlint without it would only end in more questions and possibly others getting hurt, which was the furthest thing that she wished to happen.

So now they wait, patiently for the arrival of the one who could see them all safely back to their destination. Giving time for Jennara to rest, and Andrew to finish the placement of shelves for the pantry, for Elohanna to have the opportunity to help Andrew relax again, and to begin to plan about the events that they could hold in the Inn when the war was over and things were peaceful again.

How long it would take for Connor to arrive was unsure, but soon she would be back at Xora's and busy again. Gratefully busy. She had offered to aid Andrew but he had refused her aid knowing that to do so would only weaken her when she was in the middle of an already difficult recovery. She loved him all the more for taking care of her though she protested it sometimes, and when she was done watching him moving chests around and pushing shelves into place she had climbed up the stairs on her own, and tried again to find her way through the maze of the halls, only to collapse again on their bed, exhausted from pushing herself.

[RollinsCat]

"Ready?"

Minu checked her chests, the armoire, scanned the room.  Her eyes lingered on the carved stone desk and she added few blank scrolls to her satchel.  "Ready."

Symphony was waiting downstairs.  He escorted Minu in gentlemanly fashion.  It looked grand and romantic but it was so she'd have an excuse to lean on him; it had been nearly one hour since Connor had sent a message through Symphony's magic stone and the man was nothing if not punctual.  He debated carrying her, but settled for offering his arm and hoisting her bags.

At the inn's thick oak door, they stood saying nothing much and he ruminated.  He'd discussed upkeep with Michael and Edward, where he was going, what to do in the event he did not return.  They knew not to come by today and Paddy was out on "business"; he'd not mentioned to them once that Minu was here.  Another pang of guilt.

His eyes drifted around the building, stopping on this piece of artwork or that chair.  It was perfect, as if his imagination had conjured the walls and stage and furniture in one sweep of a magical brush.  There would come dings, scrapes, gouges soon enough.  But this moment was his to see the Silver Buckle in her maiden glory.  Unsullied.

A businesslike rap on the front door yanked him back to the present. Connor entered, dark blue coat and hood creased and looking a fair bit more tired than usual.  Minu's eyes lit up at the sight of her friend.  In those moments before leaving the effect of their vacation seemed most apparent; she was energized, her tensions eased and the shadows of her illness faded as an old silver mirror.  He looked away with half a smile.  Funny the things you don't notice until it was almost over.

Connor exchanged hellos, niccys, nodded to Andrew.  He was polite; the man was always polite; but had the bearing of someone with little time for socialization.  He went straight to work on the portal, sparing only a mild glance around the finished, furnished inn.

"Connor!  We were thinking - Andrew and I - that perhaps you and Anna would like to have dinner here sometime?  We have a romantic window seat by the bar's piano player and we'd love to host you, you have done so much!"  Minu's expression was brighter than all the candles on the stage.  Connor looked over and returned the smile.

"I'll have to discuss that with Anna.  Perhaps..."  He took another quick look around.  "After things calm down."  His response was casual, but he didn't seem displeased.  Another half a minute and the half-elf stood back, gesturing.  

Andrew stepped to the portal, intent on being the first target if anyone was watching around Xora's tower, and looked to Connor.  "Thank you."  Opened his mouth to say more, saw that it was unnecessary.  A nod, and he let the portal magic take him.

..................  

Elohanna ignored the portal and walked to Connor instead, wrapping him in a hug and squeezing him as tight as she could manage to convey all the hugs she'd been unable to give him while she'd been sick.  "Thank you for being here for us my friend.  I promise I will try my best to return your kindness."  

He returned the hug easily, nodded.  "Go on.  You have your part yet to play.  Make the best of the chance you're given.  No other return is needed."  She gave him one last smile stepped into the swirling gold Al'Noth without another word.

Jennara stopped at the edge of the portal as Elly faded, bowing her head to Connor.  "Myhha.  Thank you."  And she was gone.  He faded the moment after, no mantle of golden portal magic necessary; he just vanished, and the Buckle fell silent.

Two minutes.

Three.

Five.

A slight shift, and Paddy unfolded from between the bar and the drink cabinet.  His eyes lit onto the portal and stayed there a long while.  His smile almost hurt; he never smiled that wide, not unless Heloise was being playful with him and even then only in private.

Elohanna was alive, and well...