Ascending Legends

[Dragongal]

"Mmm, good. Nearly as good as that thing you do on my neck, but this is amazing too." Arryn snuggled up closer, nuzzling against his neck. "Almost wish I was a wolf so I could see how it feels for you, though."

 

[BookWyrm]

"I...." Arryn's comment had caught Dayn off guard. He hadn't been expecting her to make such a statement. In fact he had actually stopped massaging her scalp for a moment or two as he tried to wrap his mind around what she had said. Slowly he started to go back to playing with her hair as one hand eased down to her neck, gently flowing into the massage that she loved. "I...wasn't expecting you to say that. I mean, its a wonderful feeling, but you caught me off guard there love."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn understood what he meant. "Well, I would greatly prefer to be purely human. But I mean... lycanthropy isn't that bad. I'd never choose it, of course, but over something like death, it is a preferable option." Arryn smiled up at him, adjusting so he could get at her neck better."Love, don't think too deep on it, alright? I didn't mean much by it. At the moment, I'm in absolute heaven, you playing with my hair and massaging my neck."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn smiled. "I understand love, and I promise I won't think too deep. Though I still say you would be lovely in red." Dayn leaned down and kissed her neck as he worked on it. "I may have you try some light easy work on my back. It is getting stiff from where it is healing."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled, her body shivering lightly when he kissed her neck. "Tomorrow or day after, I don't want to mess with the skin repairing at the moment, and if we're honest, there's not a big enough spot on your back without a wound that I could lay my hand flat on. By then I'll be able to use my magic to help, too."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn grimaced, letting his face take a sour turn since Arryn couldn't see it. Is it really that bad? "You've been gentle so far. I suppose that is the reason though." Dayn smiled slightly, enjoying being able to make her shiver with only a kiss. He leaned down and kissed her neck again, just because he wanted to, before slowly bringing his tired hands together behind her back to hold her. "You haven't treated it again since my bath earlier. Do we need to see about it?"

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn shrugged. "I'm more worried about your hands, hands take longer to heal than a back. I checked your back earlier, and it was healing nicely, and since it was like that after hot water, it's likely fine. But I suppose I should put more of the balms on it. However, If I must leave your warm embrace and the cover of the blankets, I'd like to put at least a shirt on." She added the last part with a smile. He could reach her pack more easily than she could.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn smiled as he leaned back some to look at her. "Don't worry, I'll brave the cold for you." I'd rather you left your shirt off anyway. Dayn leaned over and sorted through her pack before finding the assorted medical supplies she had been using. He had watched her sort through it enough times to know what containers the balms were in now. He produced the containers as he leaned back around before laying them gently in her hands. "Anything else my lady?"

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn sighed and rolled her eyes. "Maybe turn around so I can work on your back?" As she sat up she pulled the blanket around herself tightly. The shirt had been for when she would be sitting up so she wouldn't have to hold onto a blanket, but if he was so insistent on her keeping her shirt off, then so be it, she'd have to take a bit longer working on his back. And maybe be a bit less gentle.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn flashed a mischievous smile before sitting up. Sure, he was poking fun, how could he not? As he turned around he straightened his back out, doing what little bit of stretching she would allow him to do. As he waited for Arryn, whom he figured was now going to get some kind of pay back for his purposefully not getting her shirt, he figured he'd amuse himself some. He looked over at their clothes before coaxing up a slightly breeze with his aeromancy. One of the shirts, he wasn't sure whose it was at the moment, gently lifted off as the breeze swirled around it, causing it to dance on the controlled drafts. As he got closer he noticed it was his shirt from earlier. He shrugged slightly before watching it sail around before he switched up the current and accidentally created a small wind dervish, picking up the clothes and spinning them around before he finally regained his focus, causing them all to pile up beside the bed. "Well....I guess that works."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn rolled her eyes and reached down, picking up his shirt instead of hers and pulling it on. It was nice and loose and billowy, and she decided she quite liked it. It seemed like suitable payback. She opened the cannister and set to work, being gentle despite his messing around earlier. "It still might sting a bit, but that's a good thing, it's making a clean seal. It'll help so your skin heals up to be flexible, less pain from the scars. By the time I'm done with your hands it will have dried properly." She made him turn around once she was done, then took his hands and did the same, though she bound across his palms. She gave him a reassuring smile as she put her equipment away and cuddled up to him. She wanted to get his mind off of this mess. "Griffins tomorrow, right?"

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn pouted when he noticed her grabbing his shirt. Payback, there was no denying it. The pout didn't last long before it spread into a smile. He did deserve that one at least. He liked that they were close enough now to poke fun at each other. Dayn had always been one to try and lighten the mood when possible, making those moments when he was overtly serious or not smiling the moments you needed to pay attention to. Dayn shivered slightly when Arryn started to apply the balms, the spots on his back still being very sensitive. When she was finished he turned around and held out one hand at a time. He tilted his head to the one side as he watched her working the balms into his skin. But when she was done she was all cuddly and lovey again, which of course brought the smile back to his face. "Yes. Griffins tomorrow."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn pushed Dayn back onto the bed gently and pulled up the blankets, curling up against him with her head on his chest before dozing off. For a while, her dreams were pure darkness, which was a good thing, until she started having a nightmare. It began very slowly, seeming like nothing was wrong. She was in Gilowitz, following the shadow again. It didn't go straight to the church, though, it went to a few houses... including the head elder's.... Suddenly she was at the church again, but nothing seemed unnatural about it. She could see her friends in their positions, she was at the pew, and she was about to move it. Again, as it had in previous nightmares, it played out exactly how it had in reality, hearing the thuds of her friends' bodies, then herself falling, the dagger cutting into her arms and back....


Arryn sat up with a scream, but she regretted even waking up. It wasn't just a normal nightmare. She froze in place, staring at the doorway, barely breathing, shivering with fear. She was locked into the illusions whether she liked it or not, she hadn't been given an option to fight it.

 

[BookWyrm]

The scream set him off. Dayn shifted within seconds of waking up, standing on the bed between Arryn and the doorway expecting to see an intruder only to find the doorway empty. <No no no no no no no no.> Dayn turned around, his ears dropping as he nuzzled Arryn and licked her face, letting her know he was there and real. He didn't know if he needed to shift or to stay wolfed. At this moment just something to help her get her mind off the nightmare was all he could think about. He sat down in front of her, laying his head against her shoulder. He decided to stay wolfed. Something about her running her hand through his fur and burying her face against him seemed to help her calm down quicker.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn glanced at Dayn as he nuzzled against her, seeming to see him for the first time, before she glanced back to the doorway. She shut her eyes and put her head into her hands, trying to shut out the sight and sounds of the image of the banshee. "I-I know, i-it's not there, b-but it is, I mean, I can hear it, i-it hurts." She shuddered as pain racked her whole body, then remained. The illusion refused to fade away until it had gotten its due time, leaving her terribly confused. How could it be so real but not be there? How could her body hurt in such a similar way to the first time, but it not be there.? She could feel Dayn's head on her shoulder, but she couldn't respond.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn whined quietly, tears sliding down his muzzle to drip of his nose as he pulled Arryn closer to him. The fact that she didn't embrace him was a clear enough sign that this was worse than the other times, and with the knowledge came back the feelings of utter uselessness that he always felt when this happened. Alistair said they would fade over time. Could he have been wrong? The best thing he could do was just be there, to be an anchor for her to cling to if reality was blurred. Thats it. The absolute extent of his capabilities ended there. Quietly Dayn laid down in front of Arryn, still close against her, but not really understanding how to help in this situation. His useless feeling wasn't helped by the fact that his own wounds were throbbing from the rapid transition between forms. So, until she calmed down, Dayn lay there around her, quietly cursing himself as tears glistened in the faint moon light that filtered through the window.

 

[Dragongal]

After a short time, the pain faded away to some extent, though the sight and sound of the banshee did not. She shifted her position about so she could lay down next to him as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his fur. If it was real, he'd protect her. If it wasn't, she just had to wait it out, and holding him close was the best way. And trying to ignore the illusion was necessary. She refused to look up, in case it made the whole thing worse again.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn opened his eyes, looking down to Arryn before curling his body around her. He hadn't fallen asleep, he had just found no use in trying to force himself upon her. Sure, he hated himself for feeling this way. It broke his heart every time this happened to her. What hurt him even more was the fact that even though he had tried many times before to interrupt the nightmares they had remained. In truth Dayn felt defeated, and it hurt to know that this happened after such a good day. He didn't have the heart to whine or really make any noise, though he did look back at the doorway just to make sure he hadn't missed anything. No, nothing. Shit....

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn held onto Dayn as her heartrate leveled out some, until the illusion was finally over. She gently ran her fingers though his fur, though she kept her cheek pressed against his neck and on arm around his neck to make sure she could hold him close. It was nice, how he'd wrapped around her. He was warm and provided such security... She began to speak rather abruptly, saying, "I-I followed the shadow again. Through Gilowitz. This time, it didn't just wander then go to the church. I-it went to... specific places, one of which... I recognized as the elder's house. H-he was one of the ones who... suggested I be killed." She paused as she shivered. She still hurt, but that wasn't why she shivered, it was more the recollection of waking up to Matthias arguing with a priest and an elder who wanted to murder her, and she hadn't understood any of it - she hadn't even known her team was dead. "Then it went back t-to the church. Replayed it over again...." Arryn sighed, thinking over the past many times she'd woken up in a similar state, or the months she'd spent in such a state constantly. "I'm just glad I have you now."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn wanted to nuzzle against her, but with Arryn wrapped around his neck he refused to move or bother her. What he was able to do was wrap his own arm around her, pulling her close against him. It was so strange how just one arm in wolf form covered more of her body than both of his arms normally. He adjusted his position, laying more on his side to let her rest against his chest before holding her. This was the first time he had tried this as a wolf, and he couldn't help but feel slightly weird despite hoping that she would appreciate the sentiment. Laying like that did open up the ability to tuck his head down against her though, and that was some comfort for him. <Always, love.>

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled slightly and adjusted accordingly, though she still refused to let go of him for more than a few seconds. Though the illusions weren't about to come back, she was still scared that they would. She reached out with one hand and gently ran her fingers through the fur on his head. This new position was warmer, and more secure, and she actually kind of preferred it. After a few moments, she went back to laying her cheek against his neck and holding onto him, listening to his heartbeat and trying to match her breathing with his as the remains of her adrenaline wore off and her remaining tears soaked his fur. Then for the longest time she just laid there, picking over what parts of the dream she felt she could bear to think about, trying to understand what it meant, if anything at all, as she gently petted along his spine and shoulder blades with one hand, being careful of his wounds, letting her fingers slide through his thick fur, using the texture as an anchor to keep herself focused. Finally though, she closed her eyes and let herself fall asleep, her arms still around his neck and her cheek still resting on his coarse, warm fur, her fingers entangled in his thick coat, feeling warm and secure as she held onto him.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn's tension eased off when Arryn adjusted and began to run her fingers through his fur. When she moved along his shoulder and spine Dayn made a content rumbling noise, almost a purr, before relaxing. His fur was damp from her tears, but that was what he was there for. Comfort, security, love, an anchor to reality, those were the things Arryn needed during these nights. A steady heartbeat to feel, consistent breathing to match, and strong arms to hold her. After a few minutes Dayn could hear the sound of her breathing slow down, her body ease into the sleep that embraced her. He decided not to shift back. She was comfortable and secure as is. Soon Dayn joined her in his own dreamless sleep.


Dayn woke about a half hour before dawn. He blinked the weariness from his eyes and yawned, his tongue curling back in the normal canine fashion before he shook his head. He looked down at Arryn and smiled before leaning down and nuzzling her face. He carefully played through her hair with his fingers, making sure to avoid touching his claws to her scalp. He nuzzled against her before finally letting his muzzle rest against her cheek, waiting for her to wake. They were supposed to see the griffins. He hoped she still wanted to..

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn woke up with a smile, feeling Dayn's fingers in her hair and his muzzle against her cheek. She smiled and turned her head to face him more, before reaching out and ruffling the fur behind his ear. "Morning, love. Still up for seeing the griffins?" It had been a rough night. But she didn't intend to let that stop them.

 

[BookWyrm]

<Of course. Though I think breakfast is in order first.> Dayn carefully shifted, his back stiff and sore but tolerable. He smiled before leaning in to kiss her. "Stay in bed, I'll whip up something quick." Dayn crawled out of bed, carefully tucking Arryn in with another kiss, before pulling on some pants and walking into the kitchen. He sliced up some of the deer meat in thin slices before cooking them along with small soda farls and fruit. Walking back in with the food he sat down on the bed before taking one of the soda farls and cutting it in half before laying the deer meat on one half, then capped it with the other. "Try this."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and accepted the experimental food. She took a bite and nodded. "This is pretty good. Thanks." She enjoyed this breakfast while tucked in under the covers. It was very nice and relaxed, and thoughtful of Dayn.