Ascending Legends

[BookWyrm]

Dayn had a good laugh at the last comment. "She wanted to learn, so I might have started teaching her. She's really good at it. Though if I could get her to sing more it'd be nice. The few times she has I've been mostly dead." Dayn chuckled at his own joke. "Honestly, by far the scariest thing I've had to do is come clean about my lycanthropy. I still haven't told my family about it, and yet everyone here that needs to know already knows." Dayn ran his hand through his hair. "Honestly you all have done more for me in these past few weeks than my family has done in a life time. I owe all of you a lot more than I can offer."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias paused and looked at Dayn with wide eyes. "She sang for you? Gods above...." Matthias shook his head in disbelief, before sighing. "Look, don't thank us. You're basically part of our family now, though of course, it'll take some getting used to on all sides. You've made Arryn happy; you deserve it."





"Yes, well, anyway, Dayn's taken wonderful care of me." "Seems like you take care of each other, more like." "Maybe... I don't know, he seems to take care of me on a more day-to-day basis, I patch him up when he's hurt.' Of course, Arryn wasn't considering when she'd get up and make breakfast for him or all the other sweet things she had made a habit of doing.

 

[BookWyrm]

"I'm glad I have your approval." Dayn smiled before reaching into his pouch and pulling out a small brown purse. He tossed it to Matthias before he had a chance to see what it was. "Don't even start. I know I don't have to, and this is not to try and win affection or pay you guys back for anything. This is simply a gift. You and Kalie have been there for me and Arryn, more for Arryn than for me, when we've needed you. You've given us a place to live temporarily, and well, I want to pay good deeds with a good deed."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias looked down at the purse in his hand, opening it up, his mouth dropping open. "Dayn, this is too much. I mean... thank you, but... at least take some of it back."

 

[BookWyrm]

"This is not negotiable Matthias.", Dayn said with a smile. "I'm not worried about it. If you have to know, I sent out some letters when we were at the market, and some investments are starting to pay off. This isn't going to set us back any, I promise."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias smiled and nodded. "I won't tell Kalie until we're back home. She may not take this as gracefully as I." Arryn carried in mugs of a light mead she had picked up in the market, and set out four settings. As she walked back into the kitchen, she paused to kiss Dayn's cheek, then returned to Kalie to help finish up.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn smiled when Arryn walked into the main room, taking the mead happily before getting a kiss on the cheek. His eyes followed her as she walked away, and he still was smiling as he turned back to his mead and took a draw from the mug. "I think that is for the best to be honest." Dayn chuckled at the image that came to his mind. "I would rather not see our respective wives get into an argument."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias shook his head and chuckled. "Agreed." Kalie and Arryn brought out dinner, each sitting next to their husbands. Arryn smiled to Dayn and discreetly took his hand under the table, running her thumb over his palm. She knew he'd been speaking to Matthias, and hoped that it had gone well.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn took a deep breath, savoring the smell of the stew the wafted up from the table. "That smells delicious." Dayn leaned over and kissed Arryn gently on the lips before reluctantly pulling his hand away to spoon up the stew and passing the bowls around the table. When everyone was taken care of Dayn lifted a spoonful to his mouth. "Duwiau uchod this is good."

 

[Dragongal]

That made Arryn smile very happily. Kalie quickly said, "Arryn made it," before shoving some food into her mouth so Arryn couln't blame her. Arryn blushed scarlet, but was still smiling, embarrassed. "Kalie helped a lot...." Matthias tasted it, then laughed. "It is very good, but I doubt it's Kalie's recipe. She doesn't use spices as much as this - of course, Arryn being an alchemist, what else would one expect?"

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn couldn't help but smile when he saw Arryn blush. He leaned over and kissed her cheek, though perhaps it was a little close to the jawline. He knew she'd understand the gesture. "I can take credit for getting the elk. Besides that, the rest is on you two."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled, her blush starting to die down a bit. Matthias laughed, "And I did nothing. But it's fine, because I'm not like you all. I don't need credit to eat a delicious meal."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn choked slightly as he laughed at Matthias' comment. "Sorry, just got kicked in the throat by an elk. I'll be fine."

 

[Dragongal]

"Love, please, I don't want to have to heal you at the dinner table." Arryn laughed a bit, then took a swig of her mead. "You know, I must say Dayn, you rode very well for a Southerner."

 

[BookWyrm]

"It was similar to the old mining flumes back home. The biggest difference is here there is snow, rocks, and a mountain, and back home it is water, rocks, a mountain, and a drop into a pool." Dayn took a sip of his mead to calm his throat. "It is sort of similar, except you seem to have more control in the snow."

 

[Dragongal]

"So, this wasn't really your first time. That makes me feel better about myself." Arryn laughed, knowing how Matthias had had trouble in the beginning. "Well, he did get to wolf on one of his runs, remember." "Wasn't quite fair, how he carried you up, but we weren't going to stop you. We figured, you haven't been able to mountain ride for two years, so.... Why not?"

 

[BookWyrm]

"It is quite fair actually.", Dayn said as he took Arryn's hand. "If you think I'm fast then you should see Arryn. She is faster than I am."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn blushed again, and Matthias said, "Well, I see how you took down this elk so easily." "I'm not nearly as strong as him though, and I'm usually tired after a hunt." "Arryn, you know it's about teamwork. One fast, one strong, that's a good hunt." ".... That's our old tactic for hunting people. On the Black Market. Not elk." "Well... true, but I think it still applies."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn turned to Arryn before saying, "That's also our tactic for hunting deer remember? I clipped it and you went for the take down." Dayn rubbed his thumb over Arryn's hand as he turned back to Matthias. "To be fair the elk was all my doing. It was my first hunt in my...well...as my new wolf I guess. I didn't realize how much strong I am now, and when I swiped to trip it I took off a leg. I didn't want Arryn getting gored, so I took it by the antlers and snapped it's neck." Dayn realized how morbid this sounded. "Sorry if that is a little too much detail."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias smiled and shook his head. "Dayn, when we were fourteen we started hunting down people who enslaved other people. Morbid is kind of a lost cause on us." Kalie nodded, and Arryn looked at Dayn and nodded a bit too.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn felt his heart ache slightly. His jaw tensed up as he squeezed Arryn's hand tighter. It only lasted a second or two before Dayn shifted in his seat and the signs left, though he still looked off towards the fire for a few moments. They haven't seen or done what I have though. "Fourteen wasn't so different for us then. Although, in context I guess some details could be different. By fourteen I had managed to win the joust and sword trophies, and I managed to not be taken captive in the melee. By seventeen, though, I had lost a wife and child and was in the Western Campaign."

 

[Dragongal]

Matthias nodded, though Kalie seemed more taken aback, not having gained this knowledge before. Arryn quickly intervened, "But he did offer to perform in a tourney for me. For my honor as a Lady." That made Kalie laugh. "Chances are you'd jump in the ring!" "Oh Hel yeah."

 

[BookWyrm]

"Duwiau, I can only imagine Arryn in the ring. I'd bet one thousand gold Arryn could beat most tourniers." Dayn felt slightly bad about catching Kalie off guard. He looked over to Arryn and grimaced slightly to apologize.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and rolled her eyes, silently telling him it was okay. "Most tourniers are used to even fighting, though." "Fair point, Arryn would use their own weapons against them, as well as any obstacles or walls near her. I'd know, she trained me."

 

[BookWyrm]

"That is what I loved about tourniers who fought in the melee. Many of them have never been into actual combat before and are used to blunt swords. There has been some serious loss of limb, blood, and life in a melee. I stopped entering tourney's after coming home from the campaign though. Well, all except the errant tourneys. You all would like those. They are for knight errants, men-at-arms, and generally those who are not of noble birth."