Ascending Legends

[BookWyrm]

Dayn shrugged, a sly smile forming on his face. "I could think of a few things." Dayn wrapped his arms around Arryn and kissed her before continuing, "And some of them don't require a dress code."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn kissed him back, then opened the door, saying, "Oh dear, I've spoilt you. Now you'll expect it all the time." She closed the door behind them and resumed kissing him, her fingers running lightly down his neck.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn slowly ran his fingers through Arryn's hair as he kissed her. "Maybe not all the time." His hand slowly worked it's way down her neck to her back. "Unless you're wanting it that bad." He smiled before lightly nibbling her bottom lip. "So, what do you say love?" Dayn leaned his head around and kissed her ear slowly before moving down and kissing her neck.

 

[Dragongal]

"I haven't stopped you, have I?" Arryn gently brought his lips back up to hers, then walked with him to the bedroom and shut the door, kissing him again.


A few hours later, Arryn gently nudged Dayn. The fire was burning low, and she'd noted how little light was seeping between the closed shutters. "Do you think we should maybe get ready for the party now?"

 

[BookWyrm]

"Hmm. Probably wouldn't be a bad idea." As Dayn sorted through his clothes he had a thought cross his mind. "Beautiful, I lost track of a few days during that whole mess with the acid. You wouldn't happen to know when the next full moon is would you?"

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn paused, still under the blankets, thinking. She didn't feel like getting out of the warm bed at the moment. "Two days til, I believe." Well, they certainly better tell her friends soon then

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn shook his head. "Time flies when you're having fun." He turned around and looked at Arryn, smiling when he saw her still under the covers. He looked over at the fire, stoking it some before sliding into a pair of nice pants and walking back over to the bed. He crawled under the covers and snuggled up against Arryn, rubbing her back as he laughed. "I guess we got off lucky it wasn't tonight." Dayn looked at Arryn, smiling as he rubbed his thumb over her cheek. "You are beautiful." He chuckled slightly. "I bet you'd be beautiful even as a wolf. But, I don't really want to find that out."

 

[Dragongal]

"Because you're scared I'd be prettier than you?" she laughed. More seriously she said, "I don't want to either. You can be wolfy all you like, but I prefer being a plain old human. Almost all of my fighting is in the night, in cramped places, being lycanthopic wouldn't be good for me." Arryn kissed him, then laughed and pinned his shoulders to the bed and nuzzled against his neck, then laying her head on his shoulder. She ran her fingers lightly over his cheek, then sighed. "I don't know how much I want to go to this party."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn's eyes widened for a second as she pinned him to the bed. He laughed as he laid his head back, enjoying the feeling of her touch. He smiled as he shrugged slightly. "I don't mind undressing again. Besides, we can always say I was feeling tired and we stayed home to rest."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn shook her head, then snuggled in closer with Dayn. "No, I know it will be fun, it's just... I don't want there to be a fuss. And there's probably going to be. Inder might come by and try to preach the sins of alcohol, which he's tried a few times, which I kind of admit to looking forward to since I can smack talk him without judgment, but... still... there's gonna be a lot of fuss."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn slid his hands down Arryn's back to her hips as he smiled. "I could always go crazy and wolf out and start howling like a wild thing. I'd love to see the look on his face at that." Dayn leaned up and kissed Arryn. "But, I don't think that'd blow over well with all of your friends here."

 

[Dragongal]

"Nah, it's funnier when he's so appalled at what I say that he can't talk, he just stand there with his mouth open like a fish." Arryn laughed. Get smile faded and she laud with her head against him before quietly saying, "I don't want people to treat my like I'm glass.... to watch their words around me. .. our act like something is wrong. ... Can we just... stay like this for a few minutes?"

 

[BookWyrm]

"Of course love." Dayn leaned forward and kissed her cheek before wrapping his arms around her and holding her. They lay there in silence for a while, Dayn gently rubbing Arryn's back before he quietly began to sing. It was an old Southern song about two lovers and their struggle as he left for war, leaving her home alone. They wrote to each other, speaking about their days and their longing to see and hold each other again. There are close calls during the war, but they are eventually reunited and live together in peace. The song ends with the lovers laying together, looking up at the night sky as the moon shines down on them, though they are never seen again.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn closed her eyes, before quietly saying, "Thanks, love. I liked hearing you sing... you're very good." She kissed his cheek, then smiled at him. "You should sing more often." Arryn laid her head on his chest for a few more moments before kissing him, then slowly getting up. "I think it's time we got going."





Arryn, dressed in a grey shirt and black pants, led Dayn by the hand down the street toward a large hall, where the people - many dwarves - were standing out front of. The general clamor was raised when they came into sight of the crowd, and they were both offered drinks - which were declined - before being pushed into the hall itself. The hall was very large and tall, the roof domed from the center, with many lanterns hanging from the eaves. Arryn smiled and said, "Most of the people we want to see will be in here anyway." A band stood in the corner tuning up, and food and drinks were laid out on a gigantic table to the side of the room. Soon there'd be the games out back - mostly shows of military prowess such as archery and swordplay, performed by drunken dwarves - but at the moment, everyone was just milling about.


Arryn spotted Kalie, who waved to her, and started leafing Dayn toward her, when she was stopped by two old friends. Gee, who'd they seen at the market, was with Esclaire, though somewhat unwillingly on Gee's part. Esclaire had been a basic fighter on Night's Ascension, but she'd never seen eye to eye with Arryn on some things, though they'd always been able to work together fine past that. Esclaire was very pretty, with long, shiny brown hair, creamy skin, big amber eyes - which she liked to try to use to her advantage, one of the problems Arryn had always had with her. Gee began polite conversation, mostly focusing on getting to know Dayn, and Esclaire joined in, then dropped out, and walked around Dayn, glancing at him behind his back. Arryn took his hand, and discreetly gave Esclaire a glare that clearly asserted her authority, and dared Esclaire to try anything. Esclaire lowered her eyes to the ground, conceding to Arryn’s reinforcing her position.


Once they were able to get away from the two, she quietly said to Dayn, "Sorry about that. Not sure if you noticed, but if you did, she wasn't after you, she was just trying to undermine me, challenge my authority." She kissed his cheek. "Honestly, sometimes I think women are more like wolves than a lycanthrope."


She walked over to Kalie, saying, "Dayn, Kalie's one of the ones who helped get you here. She's Matthias's wife, and one of my best friends." Kalie smiled, saying, "How do you do?" She'd been informed not to use his title. Of course, as is customary among women, Kalie, being a best friend, had to judge Dayn carefully and decide whether he was any good or not, even if Arryn didn't approve.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn smiled as he hugged Arryn. "I think I can be persuaded to sing every now and then. Southern songs aren't always happy though, but they are all beautiful to hear." Dayn threw on a shirt before he and Arryn left for the party. Of course by the time they came into view the clamor and cheers began. Dayn smiled, knowing that they were cheering for Arryn, and leaned over to kiss her cheek. "They really do love you here." As they passed by the dwarves who had offered them drinks Dayn leaned in to whisper, "Gods above, that smelled like mountain fire water. What kind of mad dwarf brew do they make here?"





As Arryn was leading Dayn towards Kalie they were stopped by Gee, the dwarven lady from the market, and some new face named Esclaire. Dayn was of course polite to both, though he thought Gee seemed a bit off around Esclaire. When they had walked off and Arryn had explained what Esclaire had been doing Dayn pulled Arryn closer to him and hugged her with a slight laugh. "Already putting others in there place. You really are an alpha aren't you?"


At last they made it over to Kalie, who was introduced as Matthias wife, and one of Arryn's best friends. Time to make the impression count. Dayn smiled before extending his hand. "Fine, yourself?"

 

[Dragongal]

Kalie shook the extended hand with a grin. "Just fine. Will you be participating in the games this evening? Swordplay, archery, log toss, among others. If you're feeling up to it, of course. I know you weren't in the best position when we brought you here."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn nodded his head slightly as he smiled. "I think it would be fun." Dayn looked to Arryn and smiled as his hand rested against the small of her back. "I've always thought that swordplay and sparring was a good way to get to know people, so it should be interesting."





Dayn looked back to Kalie before continuing, "I do owe you my thanks, to all of you, for what you did. I am in your debt." Dayn bowed slightly. "If you or Matthias were to need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."

 

[Dragongal]

“Excellent, i was worried we wouldn't have enough competitors. And you don't owe us anything. Atria, will you be participating in the women’s hand-to-hand? You beat the male champion last time you tried.” Arryn hesitated, saying, “I don’t know… I’ll think about it.” Kalie said, “Well, what about archery? You’ve always been good at that one.” Arryn glanced at Dayn, then back to Kalie, saying, “I can’ pull the bowstring back anymore, recall?” On a lighter note, she added, “It’s not like anyone could beat you anyway.” Kalie nodded, and said, “Well, okay, then. Mattias and Theodas are setting up out back, if you want to help them.” Arryn looked to Dayn and nodded, taking leave of Kalie and taking Dayn’s hand, leading him away. As they walked, she noted getting a few glares from some men standing in a group, to which she replied with a reckless, dangerous smile and continued on. Theodas was standing inside, stringing the bows to be used for the games. He smiled when he noted their arrival. “It’s about time I got to meet Atria’s betrothed more properly,” he said while still stringing a bow. “She’s told me plenty about you,” he said, still smiling, his voice giving away what he was referencing, but not with malice of any form, more amusement.

 

[BookWyrm]

As they walked on Dayn looked over to Arryn, his face showing a slight worry. "Everything okay love?" But next thing he knew they came upon Theodas, who promptly greeted them by almost blatantly stating that he knew about Dayn's lycanthropy. Well, not outright, but his tone said it all. Dayn hadn't been expecting Theodas to be so forthright about it. At least he isn't confrontational towards me because of it. "That isn't how I planned on making first impressions, but yes." Dayn eyed the elf carefully, not really sure how to take him. He recalled before how Theodas had been rather cold towards him before, would that change now? "You don't seem so bothered by it now." Dayn added emphasis for a reason. He felt like the elf was scrutinizing him, and the last thing he would do was back down.

 

[Dragongal]

Theodas nodded a bit apologetically. “I thought I’d get that out of the way before anything. I wasn’t even bothered by it before - I was more concerned about the posters I saw claiming horrid things against you. I couldn’t remember why I recognized you at first, so I stayed on edge. You can ask Arryn,” he said, using her real name, “I have never had a good poker face unless it’s the most dire of situations… I have been called terribly forthright. I just wanted to be sure of you before I made any moves. Arryn ensured that the posters were lies and you were safe to be around. I trust her.”


Arryn looked at Dayn and said, “He’s right, he’s the worst liar I’ve ever met, and that’s saying something.”

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn didn't really know what to do. Yes, the posters were lies, but not all of the stories about that night were. Finally he at least tried to smile. "Well, for the record it's not the worst conversation I've ever walked into." Now if we can not bring that night up again and move on. "Curious, what is a wood elf doing in Rorich? I know Arryn said she invited you into the guild, but I'm just curious why you left your kin."

 

[Dragongal]

"Well, Arryn and her team returned a child from slavers grasps, and entering our territory was dangerous at that moment - we had guards set to kill any human trespassers. It happened to be my shift when they approached. I made the decision to ask before shooting, eventually leading them to our Lord and Lady (well that'd as close as there is in human culture). I'd started getting bored in the forest... so, I requested that I be allowed to travel with them, once everything was settled and they were considered friends of our clan. Apparently I have more wnlanderlust than normal for my lineage. "

 

[BookWyrm]

"Being the black sheep isn't always a bad thing. Despite what most would think knight-errant are little more than a mere commoner to most nobility, even if they are from well off Houses. But if I hadn't of been a knight-errant I wouldn't have met Arryn." Dayn smiled before kissing Arryn's head, to which he noticed several stares and some foul looks from around the room. He turned back to Arryn and Theodas before asking, "I can understand a slight distrust of newcomers, but what is with the looks we've been getting all night? I've noticed several people, especially that group of men over there glaring at us."

 

[Dragongal]

Both Theodas and Arryn winced a bit. Theodas explained hesitantly, "It's not you. It's Arryn. Outside of our group, we've kept your rank a secret, more because we haven't mentioned it than purposefully hiding it. Those men are among those who are... hesitant about her return."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn looked back over his shoulder at the group and growled, knowing that Arryn and Theodas would hear it(he didn't care). "They'll get more than they bargained for if they try something around me."