Ascending Legends

[Dragongal]

Arryn moved up to nuzzle against Dayn's neck. She glanced down at their hand sand couldn't help but notice the scars on his hand and the scars on her wrists. Neither of these bothered her, though. After a moment, she turned her attention back to Dayn. They'd had a hell of a week, so she figured they deserved a nice break.

 

[BookWyrm]

"I find myself wondering about us, more specifically about me." Dayn slowly brushed his knuckles across Arryn's neck as he continued. "I'm married to the woman of my dreams, and yet I look at my plans and I realize I don't have any. Until you came along I had no plan other than to try and eventually die honorably in some battle. Now I feel like I should have some kind of life goal, yet I don't. Is that wrong?"

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn propped herself up on her elbows to look at him for a few seconds. "No. I think just going with the flow is fine. You know what you enjoy, what you want, what you're good at. You should just do whatever you think you should in the moment. And I will always follow." Arryn leaned forward and nuzzled against his neck. "I trust you."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn kissed Arryn's head before chuckling. "I think I could do that, just float about with no real plan other than what we feel like doing that day. Sure, we'll still have work, but it'll be nice to not have someone else's agenda to worry about."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn wrapped her arms around his neck and nuzzled against his cheek. "Mhm. Now, I think maybe it's time we rest. Hm? Or we can keep cuddling, I suppose."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn brushed his hand through Arryn's hair as he slowly wrapped them in a shade. Above them the night sky began to flicker into sight as Dayn tapped into his magic to help ease them into sleep. "Sleep well fy rhosyn."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn scarecly had time to cuddle closer to Dayn before she fell asleep. Soon she was in the dance hall near Siochana again. The banshee queen walked over to her and gave her a smile. "Arryngale, it's good to see you are well. I merely came to inform you a bit about your current condition." Arryn looked at her for a few moments. "The ice magic or...?" "The power struggle. I never fully explained it. Now that things seem safe enough that we have time, I believe I should. The struggle is between you - and myself - and someone who has captured one of my banshees through some dark magic to manipulate them. They have been trying to kill you using the connection to banshee magic from your scars and new magic. I've been fighting to keep you alive, and you have too, obviously." "So... why did it happen just when it did? Just... coincidence?" Siochana looked at her for a moment,t hen smiled slightly, like she were reminiscing. "No, ceann beag, you were vulnerable at that time. Both from your body's adjustments, and your concern for your knight. You were distracted and tired and emotionally distraught. They had been trying to a while at that point. Your concern for your knight was what did it." Arryn looked at the banshee queen for a few moments, then slowly nodded. "Well... I'm not going to not be concerned for him." Siochana chuckled. "Oh, I didn't expect that." "If.. if that's all you wanted to speak to me about...? Can I go back to Dayn?" Siochana nodded. "Yes. Just know that I am doing all I can, but it is still possible for the issue to reoccur, it is unlikely. Now, go to your knight." When Arryn woke, she pulled Dayn closer protectively and nuzzled against him before falling back to sleep.

 

[BookWyrm]

The blood trail was easy enough to follow, but what Japhet and his men found at the end of it was enough to turn most of their stomachs. Many of the guardsmen lost their suppers on the ground. The bodies were strewn about the area, some of them flawed to ribbons, others somewhat whole. "Look through the dead, try to find any that we can recognize."


When Dayn awoke he quickly noted that Arryn was snuggled up very close against him. Being the man that he was he simply relented to the fact and nuzzled against his wife, enjoying the closeness with her.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn slowly stirred, but didn't wake. She cuddled closer to Dayn and quietly mumbled, "Want.... my knight... my Dayn... close... and safe...."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn raised an eyebrow before chuckling quietly. Arryn was cute when she sleep talked. She wanted her knight, but she'd wake to find her wolf instead. Once he had shifted Dayn started to lick Arryn's face until she finally woke.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn took a moment to wake, then looked to her fluffy husband and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Good morning, dearest."

 

[BookWyrm]

<Good morning.> Dayn stretched out before rolling over and laying his head across Arryn's stomach. <Did you sleep alright? You were talking just a little bit before you woke up.>

 

[Dragongal]

"I slept fine. Spoke to Siochana." If Dayn wanted more information, he'd have to ask. She was too busy playing with his ears.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn's eyelids became heavy as he went limp against Arryn. At this point he was more than content to let the world go on spinning if Arryn would just play with his ears forever. <Please...oh please don't stop. That feels amazing.>

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn chuckled and continued playing with his ears as he wished.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn and Arryn spent a couple of hours relaxing before finally getting their belongings together and starting off towards Riverbend. It felt nice to back on the road again, and Dayn found himself smiling, laughing, and singing more than usual. When they stopped to make camp Dayn had shifted again just simply for the joy of running through the woods. Now, as the night closed in around their camp, which had been made in the remains of an old watch post, Dayn lay with his head in Arryn's lap, the rest of his body curled around her as the fire crackled and flickered.

 

[Dragongal]

Before they had left, they'd checked in on Mazy. The lass had adjusted very well and seemed extremely content to stay with Lenza. It had been hard for Arryn to leave her mother again, but she knew they would return. Dayn had seemed extremely happy on the road, so that made her happy in turn. Now, Arryn smiled at Dayn and slowly petted along his head, every few seconds ruffling his ears lightly.

 

[BookWyrm]

<Something is bothering me.> Dayn couldn't put his finger on it, but as the day had progressed and they neared the border he had felt something was off. <I don't know why, but something doesn't feel right. It is almost like the wind is blowing wrong.> Dayn whined quietly, tucking himself tighter around Arryn.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn looked at Dayn in confusion for a few seconds. "I'll put a shield up around our camp. Maybe you should shift back to human in case someone arrives?" Arryn paused, then asked, "Could it be something with your new magic?"

 

[BookWyrm]

<No, its not that.> Dayn growled quietly before drawing on the darkness around them, laying hidden traps that only he was aware of. <Don't worry about a shield. We should be safe. Besides, I don't think it is anything close. It feels....further in. Like it is coming from my families fief.>

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn looked at him for a few silent moments. "Dayn... do you want to rush to them?"

 

[BookWyrm]

<If anything was bad they would have sent word.> Yet Dayn couldn't deny that what he felt seemed more severe than his father's guard could handle. What had happened since they had left for the winter?

 

[Dragongal]

"Alright." Arryn nestled down against Dayn. He was clearly worried, but she decided not to pry. "Let's get some sleep then, okay...?"

 

[BookWyrm]

<You don't have to tell me twice.> Dayn curled around Arryn and closed his eyes. Their improvised shelter, combining their tent materials with the pre-existing walls, made for a sturdy, dry, and warm place to sleep.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn settled down and was soon fast asleep. The sound of a morning bird woke her at dawn. She stirred and nuzzled against Dayn. "Mo chroi, it's morning. We have days of travelling left, we should go."