The Rules of Love

[Malcolm]

98 Vhalar 716

The mortalborn awoke to stiff limbs and heavy bones, his eyes were sore and the smell of blood was sharp in his nose. The knight flinched and opened his eyes, the tip of his nose tickled by a few stray strands of Elyna's hair. The fingers of his right hand were numb, his arm trapped beneath the woman, the left curled over her middle. She lay close to him, closer than she had in a long time.
It would have been all too easy to think the night before a dream if it hadn't been for the blood on his shirt and the pounding headache he had awoken to. The end of the night had been a bit of a blur, but he was sure he had asked her to leave. Had they made up? Elsie breathed a soft little sigh that drew his gaze, and Malcolm looked back over his shoulder at her cradle. Content for now, he would let the baby sleep, and enjoy the last few minutes of the half, sleep-like state he remained in.
The sun stabbed holes in the clouds, low, grey, and threatening rain. He had forgotten to draw the curtains before bed, and so the far wall was lit up, his feet cooking in the boots he seemed to have worn to bed. Malcolm closed his eyes and leaned against Elyna’s form. When he next opened his eyes Elyna was gone, and groggy, Malcolm stretched and rolled onto his back to find her sat on the edge of the bed feeding Elsie. The woman was a natural, and Elsie looked so relaxed in her mother’s arms.
Malcolm watched the pair for a while before sitting up and scooting to the end of the bed. He left the room without a word and went to wash up, returning a few minutes later without his bloodied shirt. The knight stopped in the doorway, studying Elyna from afar. She had said last night that Vri had cursed her, he remembered now, but couldn't recall how he had broken his father’s curse. Love, of course, was all he could offer her, but it would be up to Elyna to accept it.
The green of the man’s eyes were still fringed with red, but the blood had been cleaned away, and his hair had been washed. Malcolm pulled open the second drawer of the dresser and found a clean, long-sleeved shirt and one of his black leather tabards. He dressed and sat down on the end of the bed to pull on a pair of socks.
“Have you decided to stay?” the man finally asked, as if Elyna had been given the option. “It's probably better for Elsie if you do,” he added before she could answer. “I don't want anymore silliness if that is your decision, no more running off all day if your choice is to be a mother to our daughter. She will need someone while I'm away, I leave in a few trials. Would you like me to hire help?”

[Elyna]

Elyna slept the sweet and dreamless sleep of someone without conscience or fear. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d slept through the night and woken slowly. Soft light dappled the covers and painted the room in hues of golden peach. She was aware of the arm wrapped tight around her waist. A protective gesture. One that made the woman feel at ease and comfortable in the bed he had banished her from. The Skyrider lay still, curled up against his chest and fully clothed herself. She could see his boots peeking out at the end of the blankets. His breath tickled her ear and the woman closed her eyes. She stretched out, slow and languid. Her spine made a small popping sound as she extended her arms. The movement caused Malcolm’s had to drop away from her shirt and she missed the warmth.
The young woman couldn’t remember falling asleep. She had made sure the Mortalborn was secure in the bed and fed their baby. She’d packed her bag and continued preparations to leave. Why had she returned to the room? Had she forgotten something? Dizziness had swept over her and robbed of energy she’d dropped. She let out a slow breath of air and rubbed a hand over her features. There seemed little point in delaying. Malcolm had ordered her to leave was it twice or three times? Four? If she left now, he wouldn’t know that she had stayed.
Elyna slid from the bed and pushed her feet into a warmer pair of woollen socks. Reaching for her bag and discarded boots she turned. It was then she found a pair of dark green eyes watching her from the cradle. Elsie blinked watching without accusation. The Skyrider let the bag slide through her fingers and rest once more of the floor. She crossed the room, skirting the edges of the bed and collected the baby. The tiny face moved in expressions that were probably just wind, but looked like toothless smiles. Arms waved and fingers wriggled, uncoordinated as the woman adjusted them both so that the child could feed once more. She found herself tracing the soft and rounded features and staring into the green eyes. They were growing lighter by the day and more and more resembled those of her father, or grandfather.
With her shirt buttoned once more. Elyna traced a finger down Elsie’s cheek and inhaled the scent of her downy hair. It was such a sweet smell, powdery. The baby in her arms reached up, curling fingers through her own dark hair and pulling at the lock. Head tilted to one side she wondered again about the practicalities of leaving the baby behind. Who would feed her? Absorbed, Elyna only realised that Malcolm was awake, when he spoke. Child held securely in her arms she twisted. There was a line of his blood down her back, where his nosebleed can stained her leather jerkin. It followed the ridge of her spine.
Elyna raised a brow in surprise and bent to put the child back into the cradle. Little arms waved protest and a frown appeared, although she didn’t cry. The sunlight and turned downy hair red and gold. “You wanted me to leave and I would obey your request,” she answered finally and looked back at him over her shoulder. “However I would prefer to stay and ensure she is fed and cared for.” Her brows drew together in a frown at the mention of her ‘silliness’. The woman stood up, back straight and head lifted with pride. He would be leaving? Again? It was a dim but familiar sensation that curled in her belly when she thought of his departure; disappointment. “I do not need you to hire help. I always expected that it would just be the pair of us; the baby and I. We will be fine. If you had wanted nothing to do with us as I first feared I had prepared to raise the baby alone. Then you were due to be absent until the new arc and I was prepared again to raise the baby alone. This departure changes very little. You are, once again leaving me behind. We will still be fine. When do you plan to make your trip? When do you hope to return?”

[Malcolm]

Blame. In life, every individual must be held accountable for the words they utter, but interpretation is a funny thing, and one can never be faulted for the way another person makes meaning of their words. Malcolm knew me must resist playing this game, that he was in charge of his own response. His initial thought had been to walk to her bags, throw them out the front door, and send the noble woman out after them before shutting her out of his life post-haste. Instead he only stared. It seemed giving would only buy him more resentment.
“When are we going to be a team, Elyna? When will this become a partnership?” his gruff voice broke the long silence that had followed her words. “You can be a very selfish young woman sometimes. Perhaps it’s my fault, perhaps I've been too approving in my bid not to limit you as a result of the choices we made.”
Malcolm didn't say it, but his disapproval hung in the air like a knife, teetering back and forth. She never should have gone to Burhan and risked her or the baby’s life. She shouldn't have continued to work so late into her pregnancy, shouldn't have tried to hide anything from him with substance-abuse, and spat all over his and her own sacrifices by walking to the edge of the cliff with the intention of throwing it all away, of leaving them behind.
“You know why I'm going away, therefore you understand what little pleasure it brings me, that I would do anything else over hunting down my son, your brother, and the children of two other noble families. Do you want to know why I accepted the task, Elyna? So that those children would be returned to their families alive, because I don't trust that some misguided or grief-ridden knight won't walk up to Edmund, slit his throat and call it justice for all of the lives taken by the organisation he chose to be apart of.”
The Warden tightened the laces of his boots and got to his feet. “Do you understand how unfair it is to send me away with that kind of thought, to tell me how readily prepared you are for me to abandon you, that it is no more than what you expected? Should I stand here and ask you not to take another man to our bed while I am gone, or accept that it is to be expected, because just as I can't seem to stop myself from leaving, I also can't be gone two trials without the woman I love throwing herself at another man? Or maybe I should just prepare myself for another season of cold and lonely nights upon my return as punishment for doing exactly what you always anticipated.”

[Elyna]

The woman held her arms behind her back. A solider at attention as she listened. Head tilted to one side as absorbed his words, curious. Her brow remained furrowed with thought, “I did not know that you wanted to be a team,” she replied the words careful and sounded slowly on her tongue. “I think, we work well together though, we have in the past.” She’d been a part of his team of Knights and carried out investigations with him as a Captain. She had enjoyed that partnership above anything else, until things had grown complicated. Her hearts desires had overruled sense and see her fall head first into vulnerability.
He continued though, accusing her of being selfish and she shifted, folding her arms across her chest. A bid not to limit her? He made it sound as though he were an indulgent Uncle, encouraging the bad habits of a child. The scowl deepened across her features and she gripped her arms more tightly. Fingers digging into the cloth of her shirt. What had been the choices? Truly? Once she had fallen pregnant there had been know choice for her, she would raise her daughter. Alone if needed, or with Malcolm if he wanted them. The way he looked at her, was too intimate. Too reminiscent of the way he had looked at her two days previous. Something akin to disgust and disappointment. All the words he left unsaid, but burned in his vision. Her lips parted and her hands dropped, ready to defend herself with words or actions. However he seemed to think better then laying accusations at her feet and changed his approach.
“I would like to come with you,” she admitted. Justice, it was hers to serve and to assist. It should have been her place to help him round up the sons and daughters that had erred and ensure they were bought safely home and laid at the feet of Justice. The wrongs committed had been against her own flesh and mind, surely – surely Malcolm could not deny her the chance to see Justice fulfilled. Her fingers clenched at her sides before a spark landed within again. She could not follow him though. Like a useless puppet she was to be left behind to care for their infant daughter.
Her eyes narrowed and lips pressed into a thin line as he continued once again, “is that not what you have always done? Is it not what everyone does, Malcolm. You leave me behind!” She approached him then without thought. Throwing herself at another Man? He was talking about Vakhanor again and that damned kiss. Would no apology undo his fury? “Cold and lonely nights were your own choice, Malcolm. I tried to close the distance between us and you would retreat back into that Immortal forsaken barn! You turned your back on me and decided you would rather be blind then see any advance towards you. You’d rather feel sorry for yourself then realise that I needed you!”

[Malcolm]

Malcolm wasn't sure if Elyna had misunderstood him or if she was just playing coy. A partnership, he thought, was implied by marriage, he had chosen to marry her and hoped that meant they would work together in all things, alas, that was not to be the case.
Elyna admitted that she would like to go with him, but didn't press. The woman had just agreed to caring for their daughter and the road was no place for a newborn, especially going into winter. Who knew when the snow would fall and how much if it they would get.
“Left?” He asked. “Elyna are you serious? You told me you were engaged to be married, at the time I was married, what did you expect me to do? Or is this about Ne’haer? I'm sorry I ever left, you know I didn't want to go, but I think you're missing one vial observation, I came home, and I slept in that barn or in the city for a long time before you...” Malcolm stopped, he didn't have the strength to argue with her, it didn't seem to matter how right or wrong he was, Elyna had interpreted it all one way, and he another.
“If you want to join me on the road there is much to consider. Elsie, we can't take her with us,” he looked over at the sleeping baby. “We will be outnumbered quite substantially, I only have a hundred troops, and thousands fled the capital after the battle was done, there is no way of telling how many more they have recruited since then. It will be snowing soon, and I don't know how long we will be gone for, how long you can stand to be away from Elsie, or beside me...” He wanted to add that there was a possibly someone she cared for might be hurt or worse, but being a Skyrider, Elyna knew how it all worked, their chosen professions were dangerous.

[Elyna]

Something left the room, whether it was anger or unexpressed tension the woman couldn’t be sure. The atmosphere had been charged however and she had felt, despite everything, that she stood on the edge of another precipice. Too doom or delight though she did not know where she would have fallen and with a breath, the moment had passed by. The ground beneath her feet was firm, solid and the man before her seemed to visibly calm. Somehow he pulled back his frustration and responded in an even tone. One that left her feeling a little surprised and once again, disappointed. They would never know how that spark would erupt and now it was lost to the ether; and it didn’t matter. Latent curiosity was beneath her, as was petty jealousy for Avari’s arrival and the need to provide a rebuttal to each of his attacks and accusations.
There was only the truth. What did she expect him to do? “In the early hours of the morning, you asked me to run away with you. That we could sail from Rynmere and never look back. To forge a future together, just the pair of us. You were joking, I knew. It was a dream expressed in jest. When I was informed of my engagement however, I had hoped that it might be true. That you might love me and not want to let me go. It was a childish fantasy. I was unfair to expect so much. I was unjustly hurt when you explained that we had been fun.” The frown had returned. She stood much closer to him than she had before, having crossed the room with angry feet. Her body and mind did not seem to be communicating. Her limbs acting in ways she did not understand.
“I should have come with you to Ne’haer. It was my choice to remain and it was a poor decision. I was angry when you returned and I was afraid,” she admitted and pushed her hands into the pockets of her breaches. “I was angry that you had not told me about Vanessa, but I am also aware that the blame for what happened in Burhan falls for the most part on my shoulders. As I explained last night, I was afraid of what you would think of me. The argument we had the night before last, it only confirmed those fears. That all the things I felt guilty, and ashamed and afraid of made it impossible for you to love me any longer.” Her gaze had been fixed on his collar and she lifted it to meet his. Usually she would have felt embarrassed or tongue tied, unable to speak or express such truths and words so clearly. Now though, she was not afraid of the consequences of her words and it was liberating.
He had offered for her to join him. She blinked quickly and wet dry lips with her tongue. “I do not feel comfortable leaving her to another’s care,” she admitted, “but I would like to join you. It appears your command could use an additional unit of Skyriders? They are young but we have some experienced members of our team. We could be useful for you, to scout terrain. If there are so many of the rebellion scattered on the isle, we can help. As I said before, Malcolm, we have worked well together in the past. I do not see that I would struggle to work as your Captain.” She searched his expression before letting out a slow sigh, “Elsie could remain with my parents. They would see that she has a wet nurse. They would keep her safe. They care for her.”

[Malcolm]

“Elyna if everything I've endured this season doesn't prove that I love you and want to stick around, then I don't know what will.” Malcolm wasn't interested in dwelling on the past anymore, he had grown tired of trying to make up for that. Perhaps Vri’s curse would teach Elyna how much conflict could be avoided if she just used her words.
Malcolm watched her eyes. Had her eyelashes always been that long and dark? She really was a beautiful woman, and he wondered sometimes what he had done to deserve her. “A team in the air would aid the search significantly,” he agreed, “but I only want your best men, I'm not taking any untrained troops, I can't risk the casualties.” To this date, Simon remained the only member of his squadron he had lost, and it still hurt to think of him even now, he had been far too young to die.
Elyna brought up her recommendation regarding who she would like to care for Elsie in their absence, and Malcolm did well not to let his disapproval register on his face, choosing instead to bite his tongue. Elyna's mother couldn't stand him, and he was worried some of that dislike would be transferred to his daughter. He picked up his weapons belt and fastened it about his hips, his swords and daggers heavier than he remembered. The overuse of his abilities had taken its toll and Malcolm knew it would be some time before he was fully recovered.
“Whatever you feel is best,” he said without looking at her, fixing the tongue of his belt in a looped knot. “I only ask that you give this journey some serious thought before you say yes.” Malcolm looked at Elyna, studying her eyes and softer features once more. It looked as if he wanted to say more, but the moment had passed along with his anger. “Are you well, are you strong enough for the road? You did just give birth,” he reminded her. “I don't mind if you want to join us later on if you need or want time.”

[Elyna]

The air was clear between them. All the words that had been building behind a wall of fear for seasons were spent. Scattered to the wind. Whether they would leave more permanent marks on either of them, would remain to be seen but Elyna pulled her arms back once more. She met his gaze and held it, dark eyes wide with curiosity. She considered his conditions with a slow nod. It would take some careful planning. There were so few Skyriders, that even before the rebellion that in each captaincy of ten, it was unlikely that each member had experience or completed their training. So no Airmen. Only sergeants? It would be a challenge to find ten.
Her gaze dropped to his hands. They stood so close together that she could feel the heat emanating from his skin. It had never been unpleasant, the reminder of his Aukari heritage. She watched the deft movements as the belt was threaded through and felt a twinge of regret. That it was so much easier to unfasten the strap if it wasn’t knotted. The Skyrider blinked quickly as she realised Malcolm was watching her and looked up at him. “When do you plan to leave?” She asked once more, “not today…you said it would be a few trials?”
She lifted a hand to her face, running her thumb over the curve of her bottom lip. Since the pregnancy she had been weak and beset with dizzy spells. “I will think on what you have said,” she gave a slow nod, “I would need to look into the rosters and see which ‘Riders are available and who would be willing to join your mission. You are correct though, I will need to consider if I would be a hindrance to your campaign. I will return to the training grounds and gauge my fitness,” the faintest of smiles crossed her features, “my Major, Emily, is keen to meet our daughter.”

[Malcolm]

Malcolm lifted his hand to caress Elyna’s cheek, his rough hand held there as his thumb was drawn across her cheekbone. “Then you should see to it that they meet,” he said in regards to the major. Malcolm dropped his hand then and tucked his thumb into his belt. “I don't have a specific date in mind, But I would like to leave before the hundred and tenth trial, and no later than the hundred and fifteenth,” there was time is what he was saying, or he could make time for her. “I'll be home quite late, I wouldn't wait up. There is a lot to cover with my new knights, and not a lot of time left to do it in.” With that Malcolm left the room and crossed the lawn beyond the front door to head to the barn, help saddle the horses, and travel with the other mortalborns to the city, happy to put the last few days behind him.

[Pegasus]

Rewards for All!

Malcolm

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/ 5
Structure: 5 / 5

Knowledge:
Endurance: The after effects of using your abilities
Discipline: Not giving into your anger, or urge to fling things.
Discipline*: Not showing disapproval
Memory: at the moment, your memory is vague
Logistics: Preparing to leave on a military mission with a newborn to consider
Tactics: Air support working with ground troops
Elyna: is prepared to raise Elsie alone
Elyna: is prepared for your departure...again
Elyna: would like to come with you
Elyna: believes you chose to maintain the cold and lonely nights
Elyna: believes you turned your back when she needed you
Elyna: held a fantasy about how things might be between you
Elyna: believes she should have come with you to Ne'haer
Elyna: believes the blame for what happened in Burhan is hers


*Note: this might reasonably be deception, also, or acting. Please feel free to choose the one you think is most appropriate.
Loot: NA
Fame: NA
Magic: These points may NOT be used for arcana

Elyna

Story: 5/5
Collaboration: 5/5
Structure: 5/5

Knowledge:
Discipline: Not expressing disappointment in order to ensure clear communication.
Logistics: Preparing to leave on a military mission with a newborn to consider
Logistics: Working out rosters and considering who is best placed where.
Psychology: Emotional detachment leads to clarity
Psychology: Speaking the truth is liberating.
Tactics: Air support working with ground troops
Malcolm: will be leaving again
Malcolm: believes you are being unfair
Malcolm: wonders if he needs to ask you not to take another man to bed whilst he's gone.
Malcolm: wonders if he has gone too far in a bid to not limit her
Malcolm: thinks you are being unreasonable about his leaving when you were engaged and he was married
Memory: at the moment, your memory is vague

Loot: NA
Fame: NA
Magic: These points may NOT be used for arcana

Overview

Story A lovely story, intricately woven by the two of you. I very much enjoyed the interplay between them both and how their relationship has changed in light of previous events and Elyna's curse. I was wrapped up in the story, it was awesome!
Structure No worries - all good here!


Please do PM me if you've got any questions