New Arrivals

He squeezed her hand and nodded and she might think he looked...frightened. But that might not come as a surprise. He was in a strange place, hurt and alone. He was frightened but he would not tell her not to go. He knew that their cover needed to be formalized of any of this was going to work. “is...is the baby alright?” He asked and lifted up his head to see her clearly. He looked down then up into her eyes as he loosened his grip on her hand. When she told him they at it was he seemed to relax. What little bit of energy he had he had just spent and his eyes fluttered closed again, unable to keep them open any longer.

It was the older woman in the doorway that surprised Ariana, it was her grandmother Serethiel. She came in and shut the door behind her. She smiled at Ariana. “Oh child, it is you!” She said and held out her arms to her.

OOC-It's actually Aviana not Ariana.

IC-Aviana told Cole that the baby seemed to be fine and he immediately seemed to relax. She watched as his eyes began to close and within seconds he was asleep. She leaned down and kissed him gently before turning to leave. However standing there in the doorway was her grandmother. Thankfully they were alone and she rushed over and embraced her. She rested her head against her and began to cry softly. She seemed to know then that she and Cole were going to be alright.

Once she was calm again she closed the door and sat down with her and began to tell her everything. It was a long, sometimes complicated story but Serethiel listened closely.

"We didn't know where else to go. I know in asking a lot but no one here can know who we are. Word cannot reach the clan that we are alive or there will be war."

The girls story was nothing short of amazing and birding on crazy. They left the clans and abandoned the agreement that had been made. The main thing she wanted to know was why though she was certain they had a good reason.

“Well you are safe but...the peace Av...Aviana, what about the peace? If they discover anything…” She began then stopped. She would not worry about what she could not change. Her granddaughter was here now and with child besides. She did cringe though, deception was not something her husband would appreciate. His strong sense of honor had not diminished in his long years and it would take a bit of convincing to get him to see her side of things.

“Well, you are here and we will help you Aviana. Beren is having s house not far from the hill furnished for you until it is ready he and Ithilwen will take you and...your husband in,” she told her and patted her hand. He will come to show you the way soon,” she added.

Aviana knew that convincing her grandfather would be difficult. However, she hoped that when he realized she was with child that he would agree to the deception. It was unlikely that word word ever reach the clans if they weren't to use different names, but it was not impossible. She knew that this was going to be difficult and they could not slip up, but she was confident that they could do this.

She embraced her grandmother again, glad to be there and safe and to know that her husband would be alright. She nodded when she told her that Beren would come by soon to take her to his home.

"Thank you for everything."

Serethiel smiled and leaned in to speak softly to her.

“Do not worry Aviana, truly, your grandfather will remember the first moment he held you in his arms. He is outwardly a hard man but his heart tends to melt around the women in his life. He will do what he has to to protect you and your babe. Even if it means facing the Northmen in battle he would,” she assured her. “Now, be at ease Aviana and take care of your man, we will talk again after you are settled,” she said them left her alone with Cole.

Beren had come and Ithelwen welcomed her with open arms. They gave her and Cole their largest guest room, they had several now that their children were all gone. It was large, plenty of space to stretch out and relax in and it had a large fireplace that kept it fairly warm. Later that even Cole was brought to the house on a cart. Beren carried him upstairs and laid him in the large 4 poster bed. He was still quite sick but out of danger and much happier it seemed to her now that he was with her.

Slowly she would get her strength back. He ordeal of the cold travel draining away with each restful sleep and each hot meal. Ithilwen was a kind and gracious host and had taken to taking out some of her clothes and bringing her new dresses and undergarments that fit her perfectly.

All four of them sat eating their first meal in the dining room. Cole did not talk much she noticed, he looked...uncertain and uncomfortable, exactly how she felt when she was in this situation. His shyness was actually kind of endearing to her and to Ithilwen. Beren was never shy and to see it in a man was...well endearing was all that came to her.

Aviana was glad to be in a warm, welcoming home with family. Her uncle and aunt did everything they could to make them comfortable and it was a clear relief to Aviana to see Cole’s strength returning little by little. They remained together in the house for a few day. They did not want to rouse suspicion and so Serethiel and Conleth stayed away for now. Ithilwen had Agatha come over to give her a proper examination and Avania was relieved to hear that her baby seemed quite healthy, despite the long, dangerous journey.

When Cole was strong enough, they joined Beren and Ithilwen in the dining room. She could sense her husband’s uneasiness and she reached under the table and took his hand into her own and gave it a gentle squeeze. She knew that if she only got Cole talking to Beren that he would find that they would get along well.

“Beren, did you know that Cole took on a full sized bear by himself when he was just 16? It is quite an incredible story.”

Her mention of the bear made Cole’s cheeks color. He was certain that Beren had as much or more happen when he was young but the man shifted his gaze to him and gave him an appraising look.

“A bear you say,” he said as he hugged his wife's legs as she set large mugs of stout ale before the men. He also rubbed her behind affectionately, something Aviana saw before Ithilwen slapped his hand away in mock admonishment. Not mugs for herself out of respect for Aviana’s pregnancy.

“For the right of manhood we are taken without being able to see several miles away from the holds and left out alone in the cold,” Cole began. “We can either try and survive or remain and die to the cold or...other things,” he added though Aviana knew what he meant. Snow card or worse. “I fashioned a spear out of sharpened stone that I used to cut off a thick branch and I used the loin cloth I was given to tie it to the end of the branch. I had made it for several miles but my feet were half frozen. The bear, a large brown had smelled me and I played dead until it got close. I leaped up and stuck it in the throat. I returned the next day with its fur on my feet and my back,” Cole explained as if it were nothing really important. He did take a drink of the ale though, smacked his lips as if he liked its taste then took another large swallow.

He didn’t see it as being cruel, which most people would, he saw it as a test of survival nothing more. Beren actually smiled and his eyes glittered with interest and that's how it all started and it was only minutes before they began exchanging stories. Ithilwen gestured to Aviana to leave them to it and to join her.

In the living room she base her to sit on the rocking chair. “As a house warming gift I’d like it if you let us make up a nursery for you in your new house. Those...jewels and the mithril coins you showed me...Aviana, those are worth a fortune. However for now I think a low profile is best. Also, when do you think you will write your mother? She will need to know eventually, what had happened and about the babe. Hold that from her and she might have both our hides, it is her first grandchild after all,” she said in good humor.

Avania smiled when she saw her uncle’s eyes look at Cole with an appraising look. She knew that such a look was only given when deserved from him and she knew in that moment that he and Cole were going to become very close. She smiled as she listened to the story again. Her husband was not one for talking himself up or giving self-praise, but she felt, despite him saying that it wasn’t a big deal, that what he had done was quite amazing. She liked that story almost as much as hearing her father tell her about how her mother had taken down a cave troll single-handedly.

As the two men began to swap stories, Avania stood up and followed her aunt out into the living room. She sat down with a cup of tea in the rocking chair and took a little sip. She looked over at her aunt when she mentioned that she and Beren wanted to make up a nursery for them in their new home. She smiled when she said that. Although she had been pregnant for several months now, it still seemed strange to her that by spring she would have a baby. She and Cole were still young, but she knew that with help from her grandmother and aunt that everything would turn out just fine.

“Actually, Cole already wrote to them to tell them about the baby. I haven’t yet written to them to tell them about everything else. I will compose a letter tonight before word reaches them that we’ve ‘been killed’.”

Ithilwen sipped her tea in thought as she looked at Aviana, “and don’t worry about Beren, I will make sure he sees our side of things,” she said confidently. Beren was a very sexual creature and Ithilwen often turned his opinions toward her way of thinking after a night of making love to him. He had actually taught her but he had awakened her abilities and she could still surprise him on occasion.

“your grandfather though...can be prickly about such things. Undoubtedly he will go on about treaties made in good faith and all that but if we women work together he’ll come around,” she said reassuringly. “Men and their pride,” she said witheringly. “I take it took a lot to talk your Cole into bringing you here?” She asked, obviously fishing for information on what exactly had happened.

Avania took another sip of her tea, letting the liquid warm her mouth and throat. It soothed her ill feeling stomach and helped her to relax. She could have sat in that rocking chair by the fire all night and been very happy.

“Actually, it was Cole’s idea to leave in the first place,” she replied. “I was the one that suggested we come here. We don’t want to break any treaties, which is why we faked our deaths. We made it appear that we had been attacked by wild animals so no one would think soldiers had killed us. We have done our best to ensure that the treaty will stand and trading will continue.”

Ithilwen smiled at that and nodded. “Then we will have to make him feel as if he has a home here. Lindariel’s letter about your visit was troubling, it was obvious that your time there was...arduous to say the least. He obviously knew that and decided to make your happiness his priority. It's obvious he is in love with you Aviana, better for everyone if that continues,” she said in a smokey voice. She might know that it meant that if he balks and leaves it could be serious trouble for everyone. It would also suggest to her that she do whatever it took to tie heart strings to him.

“He is young yet though so there is plenty of time. If you require...suggestions, don’t hesitate to come and see me and trust that what is between us will remain with us. Beren is not so interested in what women talk about anyway. Is there anything you wish to talk about now?” She asked as she smiled and sipped her tea. Ithilwen was very graceful in every motion and in the way she spoke. Each word pronounced perfectly, each motion as if it were planned and deliberate.

“What would you think if we were to...cut your hair?” She asked evenly. “You know to, further your disguise. The people here would not remember Cole ofcourse but you.. With that lovely long hair they might remember..”

Avania blushed a little when she heard that Lindariel had written a letter to her about what had happened in Edoras. She wished she could just forget about that entire time. It had been embarrassing for them both. She hoped that they would not continue to think ill of her husband after what had happened there. She needed to write to them as well to apologize and explain what had happened. She blushed even further when her aunt told her not to hesitate to come to her for ‘suggestions’ as to how to keep his heart tied to her. She hoped she would never need any. After nearly dying together out in the cold they were closer than they had ever been before. Two people did not go through something like that and not emerge stronger as a couple.

She took another sip of her tea, embracing the cup with both of her hands. It was then that her aunt asked her about cutting her hair to further her disguise. She visibly hesitated and seemed suddenly very unsure. She loved her hair and she knew that Cole did as well. Often, after making love he would just lie there and rake his fingers through her long tresses while whispering loving things into her ear.

“Do you...do you think that’s truly necessary?”

She looked at her a moment thoughtfully. “Well, perhaps the style is the thing, maybe put it up or in a bun when not at home? That might be enough,” she decided. “Any ideas for a name for your babe? That's something to think on as well” she added. Beren and Cole returned to find them sitting there, Cole looked to Aviana to seeing he were intruding and she gave him no sign that he was.

“I’m...a little tired, Aviana, I think I will go lie down in our bed,” he said though he used the word ‘our’ which meant that he was open to her joining him of she had a mind to. He was still weak and tired easily but she quickly found out that it didn’t stop his body from needing her. She only needed to get poked in the bottom by his hardness to realize that much. He smiled and nodded a bow at Ithilwen then turned to head upstairs.

Ithilwen looked at Beren who liked back at her. “He is...unsettled I think,” Beren said to them both. “He feels...displaced though I can see how he would,” he continued. “I will ask to what he might be willing or able to do for employment in a few days. Idle hands,”’he quoted then bent down to give Ithilwen a kiss. Her eyes looked up at him lovingly as he left them once more to go about his daily toils.

Avania was glad when her aunt suggested just putting her hair up when she went out. It would have truly broken her heart to have had to cut it. Although, if it had been truly necessary she would have. She smiled and shook her head when she went on to ask if she had thought about any names for the baby.

“No, not yet,” she admitted. “I’ve been so distracted with other things that I just haven’t had time to think about it. I will though.”

She looked over as Beren and Cole walked into the living room. She smiled a little at her husband when he told her he was going to go to bed. She knew from his wording that he was hoping she would come up and join him. They hadn’t been intimate in weeks and she knew as his strength increased that his desires would as well. She watched as he walked up the stairs towards their bedroom and decide she could follow him up in a few minutes. She was happy to hear that her uncle was going to find some work for Cole to do. She knew that he would be much happier feeling like he was needed and doing something important. Cole was not one to just sit around for any length of time. He needed to be working or he felt useless.

A few minutes after her uncle left she excused herself from her aunt and bid her goodnight. She then walked upstairs to their room to join her husband.

OOC-Might be a good place to stop

Ooc:yes, any ideas for where to go next? Inhadnthought about Narisa having a crush on her cousin Eldarion. (If you wanted to step away from this for a bit) he could have saved her life or something and as a result she can't stop herself from being in love with him or thinking she is.

OOC-my only thought about that is that we've already done the brother/sister and cousin thing. I think if we didn't take it any further than her having a crush on him I'd be fine with it though

Ooc- yah, like her doing things for him and getting upset when he goes for another young lady, though I don't know which right now. No woman would have as good of status as the Kings son so I'm not sure who would even be suitable

OOC-she could be the daughter of a lord or high ranking officer. I was kinda thinking that maybe he and this girl have had an on again off again relationship for several years. Maybe they've known each other since they were little

Ooc- so, maybe he goes for a ride into the country to see this girl, I doubt he'd see her where all eyes would be on him. In this case maybe she is a commoner? And maybe Narisa eventually finds out about it all and gets vindictive in the end?

OOC-I don't know if I see her getting vindictive. I was thinking that she just gets upset, but maybe soon after she meets someone else. Also, I was picturing this new girl as being of a higher class and living in Minas Tirith