675-10-06 - A Sort of Homecoming

From Felaguria: The Struggle for Power
Jump to navigationJump to search
A Sort of Homecoming
Summary: Baldwin returns from the mission to the North and is welcomed by his wife - with a quite happy piece of news.
Who: Rayne Devantry and Baldwin of Equis
References: re:Slider
When: October 6th, 675
Related Logs: Going North logs
Date of RP: 06-18?/10/2014
Where: Devantry Cottage, Woods of Woriscant, Two Rivers
Room Desc: A hint of flora and plant matter fills the air of this small home. Various plants hang from strings along the ceiling, while one table sits off to the side lined with vials, bowls, and other tools fit for the apothecary sort. In the middle of the main section is a small couch and a single chair where the very rare guest could sit and enjoy mingling conversation, though it is usually a quiet existance within the cottage. Off to one side is the only other door which leads to a quaint bedroom. Light from either moon or sun filters in through the one window on the two walls not occupied by a door, one in the kitchen area and the other just off to where the bedroom door leads.


Rayne, having spent the better part of the last month fretting, and in fretting did twice the work as she would normally do - was actually doing something completely different. It was a beautiful day, rain had fallen earlier in the week, cooling off the forest and bringing a sort of cleanliness to the area, and she was taking advantage. Sitting outside her home, on the grass but up against the wall of her cottage, basking in the little flits of sunshine she could feel on her face through the leaves of the tree. In one hand she held a glass of wine, and she would sip from it on occasion.

The scent of damp earth in the air as well as the familiar sounds typical of a Two Rivers forest clearly have managed to make the knight at ease, as he rides through the woods on his own, his dark brown steed clearly picking up speed when they are nearing the cottage. Reigning his horse in when they reach his home, Baldwin will remain ahorse for a moment, his grey-blue eyes skimming over the cottage and the garden, where he glimpses his wife - a fact that brings some life back into his gaze. She may notice a certain paleness of his features, even from afar, and his movements appear slightly strained when he dismounts slowly. Once his feet touch the ground, the knight will take the reins and lead his horse over to a post, fastening the reins there, as if he intended to care care of his steed later.

It is then that the knight will walk over and enter the garden, a smile curling his lips when he sees Rayne is enjoying the rays of the sun penetrating through the already thinning canopy of leaves that start to show the colorful variations so characteristic of the season. He is pale indeed, dark shadows lingering below his eyes. The tone of his voice however is cheerful, when he greets her.

"Rayne."

Just her name, uttered with a sigh that shows the relief of finally coming home.

Unfortunately for the moment of his arrival, Rayne has her eyes closed as she basks in the sun. For a moment, to her, she's simply fallen into a nap and the voice she hears of her husband calling her name is nothing more than a distant part of the dream she tries to cling to. Though after a moment, other things come to her senses and her eyes flutter open, shifting to befall her husband and she smiles. Though the smile soon turns into something a little more concerned when the demeanor of her husband's features are taken in. Standing, she forgoes her glass of wine and rushes over to Baldwin, flinging her arms around him. "Baldwin! You're home!" Caught between joy and concern, she lets the merriment of the moment seep from her first, just holding to her husband and taking his presence in for a bit.

Though she does soon loosen her hold and steps back a bit, catching his gaze with her own, and lifting a hand to cup his cheek. "Goodness me... what happened to you? You look as though you've seen a ghost or worse...come, come. We'll get you all nicely warmed up and settled in and you can tell me all about it..." Speaking with perhaps a giddiness that comes from a wife who does not wish to acknowledge the state of her husband's appearance for the moment. Besides, at this point she's liable to stuff him with herbs and potions if he continues to look sickly, already thinking of a tea she could fix him - something hot yet refreshing none the less.

A bit of fond amusement sparkles in the knight's grey-blue eyes, when he sees Rayne is asleep. His smile intensifies when she awakens from his greeting, his own arms coming up when she flings hers about him, and he gives her a long hug. "I am," he replies, "and it is good to be back." When his wife lets go of him for a closer inspection he will shake his head. "Nothing, just a case of illness I caught in the Dark Forest. But I am fine now. Healed. They gave me some herbs, some tinctures." The information patchy, of course. Not telling her about the retching, the fever, and other possibly disturbing details. "And... I am fine. Really." His gaze maybe becoming a touch worried when he notices the eagerness in her eyes, and knowing his wife, he already suspects she may want to try out some concoctions on him.

Rayne would give her husband a look over for a moment, humming gently here and there before giving a nod. "Still, I know it rained a couple days ago...and you weren't home, which means you were likely stuck in it. It's also chilly outside, since the colder season is upon us. So you'll come in, have some tea, and relax a bit." She wouldn't really subject her husband to trying things when he didn't need to be trying anything, but he had a rightful thought that she perhaps considered it a moment. "Don't need you catching sick again..but I am glad to know you were able to get treated of your illness in the Dark Forest." That much said before she begins to attempt shuffling her husband fair into the house, already moving to begin a kettle of water boiling. She, of course, follows what has been her normal for the last week or so and takes up a bottle of a purplish liquid, swallowing a few bits before replacing the bottle on the table. "So...tell me all about your journey...did you find out anything interesting?"

"Certainly," Baldwin agrees, inclining his head to his wife. "Tea. Yes. A good idea." The mention of rain has him shrug. "It rained when we left the Dark Forest...", he muses thoughtfully, before he shoots Rayne a glance. "Thank you for the package you sent me," he says with a warm smile. "Did my letters reach you?" After all, they must have reached her some time ago, as he had not been able to write to her for over a month. Her giddiness catches his attention, however, and even the purple liquid receives a curious glance. "Are you alright?" Evading her questions for now, it seems, to answer them later.

"I thought as much.. so a little rain befell you. We'll have you right enough soon, yes." Rayne would speak and then a hint of color finds her at the mentioning of her package. "You're welcome. I hope the deer meat tasted well? Yes, I did get your letters. I'm sorry I wasn't able to rightly respond to you...there were patients, and a meeting with Duke Fennim...and other such things..." That smile would continue with her before she seems to catch his sort of curious glance and a blush fills her cheeks. "Yes, my love, I am quite well. I wasn't going to mention anything in the letters...as at the time I merely suspected." Beginning as much before she turns to him. "Also, I figured such news was better received in person. As it would seem that I am with child. The liquid I'm drinking helps keep my stomach calm, it is safe I promise...just quelling symptoms I know to occur." Explaining that much before she turns to busy herself with preparing the tea.

The mention of the deer meat has Baldwin's gaze cloud a little. "It did," he replies, his gaze flitting downward briefly. "At least I took some of it with me on the day after I opened the package. Thank you. all of the things in that package... A sign of your appreciation so far from home that truly warmed my heart." A shake of his head comes next, whenshe apologizes for not writing him more. "I did not expect any letters, as the delivery of them would have been difficult," he clarifies with a faint smile. As for the sudden blush that adorns Rayne's cheeks and the confession that follows it, they do the trick and make that pensive expression fade at once from his features, when his eyes widen and his jaw drops, making him for a moment look a little dimwitted indeed.

"With child?", Baldwin echoes, as he digests the news, and a brightness enters his gaze, when one brow is raised as he approaches Rayne, hampering her preparations of tea by wrapping his arms about her from behind and one hand comes to rest on her - as of yet - flat belly. His temple resting against hers. "Oh, Rayne... Is that true?", he murmurs into her ear, his voice trembling with sentiment. "Forgive me! I should not have gotten caught by the barbarians and returned sooner. No, maybe I should not have left on this mission after all."

A curious tilt of her head is given at the reaction Baldwin has concerning the deer meat. Still, he seemed to be truthful on enjoying it and that made Rayne smile. His statement after in concern to the package as a whole had her beaming a smile. "Well of course. I couldn't have my husband going off into the unknown without some form of protection and I didn't see you pack any provisions so..." She would shrug then before the topic changed to their lack of letter writing. "Well yes, you did make mention that since you were going into further unknown lands you were not sure how much writing and such could get done." Having turned to make the tea then and drops the one bit of news that Baldwin perhaps did not expect, his lack of immediate response almost has her giving a soft chuckle.

A pause in her motions does come when he is behind her, enveloping her in his arms and pressing that one hand against her - still flat - belly. "Aye. All the signs are there, and I spoke with another healer to confirm my thoughts." Nuzzling back against him a bit, when she heard his final words, she shakes her head. "It's quite alright, Baldwin. You, perhaps, needed to go on this mission because you are a knight and sworn to a certain duty. I still had my work to do here. Besides, you're home now...and that is what matters most." A little smirk would form against her lips. "However, if it is forgiveness you are looking for, I'm sure we can find a few ways for you to make up for this absence.."

The deer meat, he will certainly get into that matter later, but for now, Baldwin seems too overwhelmed with the news. Listening to Rayne explain, he will still wear that stunned expression on his face, her nuzzling back against him being met with a light tightening of his grasp about her. "This is... a miracle indeed, Rayne. I did not expect that, not so soon. But I am happy, yes, I am." the knight smiles his head moving a little when he rubs his temple against hers. Her mention of possibilities of earning her forgiveness will make him raise a brow, when his grasp losens about her, and his hands move to gently turn her towards him. "Oh?" Inquired innocently, as he pulls her close, bringing his face near hers. "Which reminds me... I did not get my welcoming kiss yet." Grey-blue eyes sparkling as they seem to spring back to life, an odd contrast to the palor of his skin. A palor that seems to fade when a bit of colour returns to his cheeks and he leans forward to have his lips brush against hers.

"Well.. it's not quite that soon. We did have a few times in the bedroom...and perhaps this is as it should be looked at. A blessing from Felgurna." They did, after all, make their vows before the old gods, of course. Rayne, herself, asking for such blessings from the Mother. Still, she would turn towards Baldwin when he loosened his hold and guided her to do so, tilting her head at his words. "Indeed..." Simply stating that much but when he speaks of not getting his welcoming kiss, there's a raise of her brow. "Oh! Surely I did not forget such a thing! Shame on me..." Moving to rub her lips against his a moment in return, "I shall make this one worthwhile then, shall I not?" Whispering words at this point before giving just a gentle tilt to her head and pressing her lips a bit more firmly against his own in a kiss meant to be passionate and lingering.

"A blessing from Felgurna," Baldwin nods in agreement, the reference to the bedroom being met with a light smirk. "Indeed, I would appreciate it...", is murmured in response to her question, if it really is one, before their lips meet and the knight loses himself in that that kiss, the six weeks of being apart from his wife clearly showing, six long weeks when he was caught in the everlasting dusk of the Dark Forest, and the latter few weeks even worse for wear as he was on the sick bed, with a high fever, and in captivity, watched over by barbarians that did not speak his tongue.

"Gods, I have missed you," he mutters when the kiss is broken, a smile playing across his features. "It is good to be back." Repeating his words from earlier, but that fact cannot be stressed often enough in Baldwin's opinion.

The kiss is held, kept, for more than a lingering moment. Truly, if the burn of a necessity for air had not gotten in the way, Rayne would likely have had the kiss held for longer. Those words uttered by Baldwin when the kiss breaks will find her smiling. "I have missed you as well...and it is good to have you back..." Turning her gaze up to catch his own, she notes the hint of color that has returned to Baldwin and for that she seems a little more at peace for. Only then does she attempt to pull away with a slight, "The tea is ready..." spoken, though in the moment now her mind is not on tea at all. Snuffing out the fire beneath the kettle, she turns her gaze back to Baldwin then. "Unless you wish to forgo the tea and have a rest. I know you've only just gotten home, but your journey has seemed to take much out of you. And don't try to pass it off, I'm a healer, I'm trained to know such signs..." A grin then. "Of course, it could also all be a ploy to get you into bed, but this - my love - is beside the point."

A smile flashes on his face when he hears Rayne's reply, in a way echoing her own expression. His skin may appear less pael for the moment, however, the shadows beneath his eyes remain. "You have already taken it upon you to prepare the tea - it would be a shame not to have it." And in fact his hand moves to cover his mouth when a faint cough comes. Her final remark about the ploy to get him into bed has him smirk again, and his grey-blue eyes linger on his wife with a fond gaze. "However tempting that notion is... I will not rest right away. No. A bit of tea would be just fine. And conversation..." His voice trails off there, when his gaze becomes a bit pensive. His brow arching when he shoots her a glance. "After all, you may be curious how I have fared after all..."

"Well, I suppose this is true." A brow raising from Rayne when he covers his mouth to cough and then she turns around to set about fixing two cups of tea for them. "I wasn't expecting you to rest right away either..." A quip for his comment while she shifts to bring the cups of tea to the table where they can sit for a moment. Though she would flit her gaze back over to him, and that one brow raising in quizzical form would come once more. "Except I have at the very least hinted to find out how you are from your travels and all I've gathered is you had gotten sick, but were healed. I trust you're at least uninjured in any way severely...and I would love for you to fill in the other details..." She says that much before doing as she intended before, and sits.

A nod comes in response to Rayne's words, he will allow her to make the necessary preparations unhampered by his presence. Baldwin walks over to the table where he can have a seat, his gaze drigting to watch his wife. "The travels haven't been as bad," he admits. "It was the time spent there in the Dark Woods that could have been more agreeable. After all, I am glad you did not come along. The vegetation is different there. And the animals..." He coughs. "Much larger than here. We have seen giant wolves, some odd black giant birds..."

"Well at least the travels were nice." Rayne would comment while lifting her cup of tea to take a tentative sip of the hot beverage. Listening further to her husband, Rayne tilts her head one way and then the other until he speaks of different vegetation and the huge animals. Of course, the warning of huge animals isn't headed more than the fact that the vegetation is different. "Really? I wonder what grows there.. could make some interesting cures and salves...maybe even find some that cures ailments we aren't able to fully stave off just yet. Makes me a little envious that I didn't go...it could have been interesting. Think of what I could have brought home!"

Baldwin's mien turns a bit pensive at Rayne's reply, a shadow falling over his outwardly cheerful manner. "To be honest, not all of it was pleasant.", he remarks, in reference to the voyage. "Slider disappeared while he was on a scouting mission, and when we started to look for him we ran into barbarians. We we're easily outnumbered and taken captive." A light shrug there. "I started to feel sick. And soon it grew worse. Whatever it is I caught, it was a serious illness. They managed to cure me from it, but it took a while."

Baldwin pauses, and his gaze meets that of his wife. "So in fact I am glad you did not come along. Maybe, if one takes recent developments into account, you might find it less dangerous to explore the Dark Forest now. The danger of the huge animals there remains, even if the barbarians may tolerate you."