Ascending Legends

[BookWyrm]

Dayn smiled to Lenza, though he reached over and took Arryn's hand as he said, "She's mine for the evening." Dayn knew Arryn was one of the best medics in the North, let alone Trulane, but she was also his fiance, and he felt like they deserved a nice evening together without outside interruption.

 

[Dragongal]

"Good. She needs a break after all she's been through. I'll be by the fights if you need me for some reason." Arryn smiled at Dayn as Lenza left and lightly squeezed Dayn's hand. "Planning on dancing and drinking the night away?"

 

[BookWyrm]

"I plan on enjoying whatever pleasures strike our fancy, be it drinking, dancing, or skinny dipping in the river." Dayn couldn't help but laugh at the mention of the last activity.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn laughed and said, "Dayn, my love, I've tried that, trust me, you'll freeze to death."Arryn hadn't been as ridiculous as Dayn and done it while she was drunk. It had been a bet between her and Kalie to see who could last longer. Arryn had won at the price of a cold for a month.

 

[BookWyrm]

"It wasn't too bad last time. Then again I really didn't feel much to be honest." Dayn laughed at the memories. "Hamish came down with the flu, Geoff had mild frost bite, Japhet ended up with a wife, and I some how came away unscathed. Not really sure how that happened."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn leaned against him, saying, "Maybe you just got drunker than the rest." Arryn paused, then looked up at him with a smile. "Are you suggesting that japhet wasn't unscathed because he got a wife?I didn't think you disliked the idea of having a wife that much."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn chuckled slightly to himself before leaning down to kiss Arryn. "Of course I don't have a problem with having a wife, otherwise I wouldn't have asked you to be mine." Dayn adjusted so that Arryn could lay against him. "What I didn't tell you before about Japhet getting his wife was that, after the dip, they were found warming each other up on the docks." Dayn was trying his hardest not to laugh. "By noble tradition, and law for that matter, they were married. I say I came away unscathed because I caught neither cold nor frost bite, and, thankfully, I didn't catch the so aptly named Harpy Queen of Westfall." Dayn lost his composure and laughed for several moments. "Japhet is now stuck with the moodiest of Lord Phadewahs daughters."

 

[Dragongal]

"Aw, poor guy. Does he actually love her?" They'd seemed happy together when she'd been at the dinner with them . arryn ignored some of the glances they got, enjoying talking to Dayn.

 

[BookWyrm]

"Actually they love each other dearly. I'm not sure how it works for them, seeing as how there are times when they can be heard screaming from the far end of the Manor. Though, of course they aren't always fighting." Dayn shook his head. "I was walking through the far wing one day when I heard the sounds of a woman screaming. Well of course I unsheathed my sword and burst in thinking that someone was in trouble, only to disturb not only myself but the two of them as well. Needless to say they seem to make it work somehow."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn had to set down her drink she was laughing so hard. "Your family has a habit of walking in thinhs, don't you?"

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn was laughing just as hard as Arryn was. "It is a terrible thing that has befallen my family to be honest. I'm just glad it seems to have ended before we met."


The rest of the evening' festivities passed by in a blur of laughter and joy. Dayn hadn't ever had such a fun Yule before, then again he hadn't had such fun company as he did now. As the last dance ended and the festival was coming to an end Dayn spun Arryn around before pulling her into a slow kiss before hugging her tightly. "I haven't had such a nice evening in a long time."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and said, "I'm glad I could provide such a lovely evening." After they'd pulled apart, she took his hand and led him back to the corner and handed him his coat and bag before pulling her own coat on and taking her bag. "Come on, we have to go to mom's for midnight supper."

 

[BookWyrm]

A nice meal didn't sound like a bad idea to Dayn. "Good thing I didn't eat anything. Besides the ale I don't think I could have stomached too much and been able to dance well." The night had a wondrous feel to it with the snow being lit by the multitudes of stained glass lanterns and festive decorations. Dayn couldn't help but smile at the sight of it all. And the smells. Fresh food and spices mixing with smoke from chimney fires, all with a lingering hint of pines and that wonderful earthy aroma of the woods and mountains. "I see why you enjoy it here." When they had made it to Lenza's home Dayn pulled Arryn aside, out of the light, to steal another kiss before they went in. "Thank you love. It has been wonderful tonight."

 

[Dragongal]

"Well, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy it without you. In more ways that one, actually. Saving my life, my sanity, everything. I'm glad you enjoyed it, love." Arryn stole another kiss before heading inside. Lenza was finishing cooking, the dinner being a juicy, well-seasoned ham, roasted potaoes, rolls, and mushroom stew. She smiled to them as they came in. "If it isn't the best dancers in Rorich. Get a seat, foods almost done."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn took a deep breath as he shut the door behind them. "Oh, the smells good." He helped Arryn out of her jacket before hanging it up, placing his beside it before removing his boots. After laying his bag down he walked into the kitchen to get some water for him and Arryn. "Come now Mum, do you really think we're the best dancers in Rorich?" He handed Arryn her water before taking a sip of his own. "I mean, sure we're not bad. But if it wasn't for Arryn I'd have made a fool of myself long before now." He looked to his lady love and flashed an admiring smile. "It all started back at this wonderful paupers ball in Low Rock."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn beamed. "Well, you weren't bad even then , that's for sure. You just had to... loosen up." "Still, both of you were very good, no matter who is responsible. Now, both of you sit down to eat." Lenza laid the last of the food on the dining table and took her seat, Arryn following suit.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn walked over and pulled out the seat for Arryn, taking his spot only after she had been seated. "Everything looks fantastic Mum."

 

[Dragongal]

"Tastes even better," Arryn said with a smile. She started filling her plate, as did Lenza. "Arryn is just sucking up now. I'm not that good of a cook." That was a lie. The ham was deliciously seasoned and juicy, the potatoes roasted to a perfect fluffiness on the inside with a nice seasoned crust on the outside, the stew perfectly balanced and the rolls fluffy and buttery.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn did his best to keep his appetite from taking over. No wolfing it down, be polite. Even still he managed to eat a healthy share of the food before calling it quits. "You have my thanks Mum, though I think you should give yourself more credit. I've had meals in the company of a Baron that were of lesser quality." Dayn helped gather the dishes and clean them, something he hadn't really paid much attention to until now. To think that we have servants to do something so simple. Dayn shook his head and sighed before finding a song on his lips. He quietly hummed the tune for a little while before breaking into the first verse. It told the story of an old battle from the perspective of an ancient oak tree that sat atop a hill overlooking the battlefield. The song spoke of the armies, the colors and banners flapping in the wind before sharp sticks were loosed from curved limbs and the red sap that covered the grass as the men fell. At the end of the song the tree speaks of ghosts that roam the killing fields and forests around the battleground. "I'm sorry love. I didn't mean to suddenly turn grim."

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn shrugged, wiping her hands off on her pants. "Your pretty voice makes up for it." Lenza chuckled, "You sing like a lark. A sad lark, but a lark nonetheless."

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn stared at the dish water for a second as he processed Lenza's remark. A sad lark? He guessed it was a compliment. Shrugging he finished up the dishes and wiped off his hands. "Many of our songs in the South recall dark times or ballads of lost love, but there are plenty that are pleasant and cheerful." Dayn leaned over and kissed Arryn's cheek. "I've sang some of those to you." Dayn walked back into the main room and looked over to Arryn, wondering if it was finally time to give gifts.

 

[Dragongal]

Arryn smiled and nodded. She reached into the pocket of her cloak and presented the brooch to Lenza. Lenza smiled and thanked Arryn with a hug. "Well, Dayn helped too." Lenza no!ed to Dayn and gave him a knowing look before hugging him. "Seems you two have earned your gifts." She smiled and walked into another room and returned with two packages wrapped in butchers paper, one she gave to each of them. Dayn's gift was a thick, warm scarf. "I'd like you to enjoy it while you're up here, even with the weather." Arryn's gift was a small, unlabeled jar. She looked to her mother questioningly. "Dayn asked me to make that for you if I could, for when your scars hurt. Should help." Arryn huge her mother then turned to Dayn and pulled him into a kiss. "So sweet that you'd ask her for this."

 

[BookWyrm]

"Always love." Dayn walked over to hug Lenza. "Thank you, for both." As he turned back to Arryn he gave a mischievous grin. "So, I think I can wait until we get home to give you your gifts. Besides," Dayn wrapped the scarf around his neck, "I want to try this out."

 

[Dragongal]

"Alright. I can do that." Arryn put the jar in her pocket and hugged Lenza one last time. "Happy Yule, Mom." She took Dayn's hand and pulled on her coat and cloak, waited for him to pull on his coat, then walked with him to their borrowed home. She took off her coat, cloak, and boots then focused on lighting the fires to make it wamer for Dayn.

 

[BookWyrm]

Dayn walked into the house, kicked off his boots and hung his jacket before unwrapping his scarf as he rubbed his arms. "One of these days I'm going to get used to this." Once the fires were lit and Dayn had finally managed to get Arryn to sit down he reached into his bag and pulled out the gifts he had bought for her. He passed them over with a smile. The first was a fine steel dagger, forged with a southern style etchings depicting two knotwork wolves. The second gift was a leather wrap for her sword to cover up the silver. And the final one was something special. Dayn pulled the small gift out and handed it to her. It was a grey hair ribbon.