Private Tales A New Beginning, A Fresh Start

[Liam Silvern]

After months of hard travel on the roads in the border of the Aberresai Savannah and Amol-Kalit desert Elbion was finally in sight. The boat ferrying them across the Cairou river rocked back and forth with the waves. A wagon with a pair of travel wary yet healthy horses stood near where the ramp off would be located. No crates, barrels, urns, vases, or sacks loaded it down as one might expect from a trader. It instead looked more as if someone had been living out of it on the road.

Liam sat in the driver seat. His legs bounced and a light sweat was upon his brow. Darting eyes kept scanning the shore rather than watched the impressive city grow ever closer. He could see the shore. That was important. It was more important that he could see the shore getting closer. He shifted his weight in his seat and moved his fingers around as they held tight onto the reigns. The horses' ears pinned back a bit and annoyed neighs rumbled out of them. It had been like this since they got on the ferry.

The months of travel had been hard. Vel Anir and their trading partners maintained the roads well so that part had been smooth. The hard part was the heat of the sun during the day and the chill of the night. Water was sometimes hard to come by along the road and little shade could be found. It was miserable weather to travel in for Liam, so he could only imagine how much worse it was on his wife. Neither of them was use to this wagon life either. It was nice to have a bed off the ground when they slept, but they had to keep a pile of blankets if they wanted any comfort. It was still nicer than when he was a soldier and only having a bed roll though.

The biggest hardship during their travels, especially early on, was watching out for any pursuers. Liam didn't regret eloping with Syrre. She was the love of his life and every attempt for him to move on while they were separated had failed horribly. Being with her was the best outcome he could ever hope for in his life, but her family might not agree. Nobles didn't exactly like it when a former soldier and commoner whisked their daughter away in the night when her marriage to a proper suitor was so near. That had made the early days of their travel difficult before the effects of the weather took over.

Now though, Liam's biggest problem was the ferry wasn't fast enough. The shore was getting closer. Good. Great. Excellent. But it wasn't getting close enough fast enough. They were still out on the waves and the water. It could still capsize or string a leak or hit a rock or....

Liam's breathing and eyes grew more erratic. His legs bounced with more intensity and his fingers did not seem to stop moving. He seemed to shift his weight around every three seconds and it was starting to make the horses go from annoyed to a little panicked.

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

Elbion loomed ahead, its silhouette becoming clearer and clearer the closer they got. She could see its concentric rings, relegating one part of the massive city from the next. It was difficult not to stare, and as the ferry crept closer to the other shore, Syrre was in awe. Vel Anir had been famous for its marvelous architecture, but the sight that made her chest tighten had nothing to do with the sight itself, but rather what it meant.

They'd been on the road for weeks. She'd had sand and dirt and grass in places they had no business being, and she'd bathed in streams and ponds. For the first time in her life, she'd left Vel Anir and seen the world. It had been as beautiful as it was challenging, and she was fortunate to have a husband who was more equipped for life on the road than she.

A husband. Her heart fluttered at the thought. It still didn't seem real, what they had done. When she'd received that first letter, entreating her to give him the closure they'd never given each other years prior, she had been awakened from a slumber she'd never intended to rise up from again. The whirlwind romance that had followed was something out of a storybook, and as she looked up at Elbion creeping closer, she was gushing with excitement for the life ahead of them.

She sat beside him on the driver's bench, and she felt the nervous bounce of his leg getting more intense, and she finally turned to look at him. Her awe was instantly abandoned. Syrre looped her arm with his and slid a steadying hand over his knee.

"Hey, Kite. It'll be alright," she said with a dazzling smile and leaning in to give him a chaste kiss on the cheek. "Look. We're almost to the other shore. No need to worry."

Ever since he'd wrecked at sea, he'd been afraid of water. He'd been antsy on the other ferries they'd taken on this trip, but this was, by far, the longest. She patted his leg and tipped her head to intercept his vision, her smile softer but no less genuine.

"How long will it take to get to the city from here?" Syrre asked, hoping to distract him a bit from his anxiety.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

A sudden flinch ran through Liam when he felt something on his leg. Death had come for him finally after all these years. He had denied it his soul, but he always knew it lurked out there waiting for him. Lack of breath. Eaten, devoured, tearing of flesh from bone in rabid frenzy. The suffocating flood was to be his shroud and the crushing depths his tomb. It was here. His end was here....

Instinctively one of Liam's hands had found itself to the hilt of his shortsword. It was not that he was going to or really could draw it well from the position he was in, but it always made him feel more secure. Too many a night or rest had been interrupted over the years. Too many a single noise or sign had for told battle. Just getting his hand on something he could defend himself with made him feel more in control. He felt very much out of it right now.

It took Liam a panicked moment, but Nerisyrre Silvern voice drew him back towards calmness. His hands had gone white on him, but now were turning red as blood was finally allowed to flowed back into them. It was not his death. It was his wife, his life now. A kiss on his cheek further helped him. He was feeling embarrassed at the sight he had just shown her, which caused him to blush a bit. He cleared his throat a bit then removed his hand from his sword hilt.

As Liam placed his hand over his wife's he said, "Thank you Flower." He intertwined his fingers with her's then squeezed lightly. She had asked how much longer until they got to shore. Taking in the sun's position, the river current, and speed at which they were steadily moving closer to the shore, he got a rough idea. Strange what things he had picked up serving the Vel Anir crown. "We should be there is about an hour and a half. What would you like to do first when we arrive? We still have some coin left that isn't needed for living expenses and other important things."

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

Seeing the color returning to his hands was a balm to her worrying heart, and she smiled up at him. She had known of his fear of water, but seeing it time and time again hadn't gotten a bit easier as they'd traveled together. But she'd always been softened to his struggles, even when he'd kept them from her. There were a lot of things she didn't yet understand -- about him, about the time they'd missed with each other, about the world. Time could repair them, but they required patience and a gentle hand.

And a gentle hand she was. Syrre curled her slim fingers between his and brought their hands up together to her lips, planting a warm kiss on the back of his hand. They'd both suffered in the absence of the other, but him most of all. She'd make it right, in time. It was the sacred promise she'd made with him, shared only between them and the gods. She looked to his face, needing the reassurance that he was truly alright before she looked back to the city at his prompt.

"So soon?" she said, her smile broadening. She pondered the possibilities for a long time. There were supposedly hundreds of things to experience in Elbion, some unique and others similar to those in Vel Anir. The colors of the city were becoming clearer as they steadily drew closer, the vague haze of distance filling up with details.

"I'm not sure," she confessed. "Do you think they have many public theaters? I wonder if their productions vary from those performed in Vel Anir?" She watched the city creep closer, her thoughts beginning to drift down the twisting avenues of her mind.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

There were a few times throughout the trip that Liam wondered how he would have gotten through this experience without his wife. Strange to think he and Syrre had actually gotten married. At every river crossing and during a few rough nights when the memories of less pleasant experiences resurfaced it had only been her presence and voice that calmed him back down. This time around it was also the pair of kisses he had received. A slight smile had crept up on his face thanks to it.

Syrre seemed to think the travel time was quick. Liam didn't think it was quick enough. He had half a mind to beg the ferry captain to whip the rowers into a faster pace while angling the sail into a better position to catch the wind. He wanted this ferry moving like a troop transport during a city assault. But he didn't. The only reason being that it meant he had more time to spend with his wife, still pleasantly strange to think, before the city was sure to completely distract her. Unlike him, she hadn't gotten the chance to see many new places until now. He wanted his time with her but also for her to get this experience they use to talk about so much as children.

Liam just listened to Nerisyrre Silvern for a bit to help him focus away from his impending watery doom. She was certainly giddy and it seemed she wanted to see a play. That got a bit of a frown from him. He had seen plays before the same as her, but the kinds of plays they watched were vastly different in quality. His were simple and often raunchy affairs designed to kill some time and earn the players a quick coin. Her's were complex masterpieces of art performed by skilled members of their craft before the wealthy, influential, and of noble birth. If she wanted a play it would be one of her kind of plays and they just didn't have the coin for it. That thought upset him and caused a pang of guilt to filter up. If he had let her marry her suitor then she could easily afford a seat at a hundred of her plays right now.

"So you want to see a play Goldie? No promises, but we can try." Liam responded as he gave her a half forced, half genuine smile. To be a consolation prize in case the worst came to be, he leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. He squeezed her hand once again gently then added, "Is there anything else you might want to do? Elbion is a major city so there has to be more to do than we could ever hope to experience."

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

He kissed her cheek and she gave him a sterling smile before she laid her head on his shoulder, sighing contentedly. She ruminated on the prompt for further curiosities, and she was silent for a long moment.

"I don't know. There's so much. I never got to decide for myself before."

Her voice turned a note bitter at the end, and she curled her arm into his tighter for a moment. He had his shadows and she had hers. While Liam was haunted by the fear of a breathless oblivion beneath the waves, she was haunted by the looming figures behind them. She swore she could feel their eyes on their backs, watching their every move.

She truly hadn't known much freedom in her life in Vel Anir. Though she had lived life as a veritable princess among the lesser nobility, her personal liberties had been limited. Her whole life had been dictated by another: days were scheduled down to the minute, her outings were scheduled and chaperoned, and her dance cards were filled for her. Dressing her hair was one of the few choices she ever had to make.

"What do you want to do?" she asked suddenly, not wanting to dwell on the dark thoughts.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

She didn't know. Liam frowned a bit hearing that. What had happened to his Flower during their absence? She use to be such an independent and headstrong girl but now was a timid and reserved young woman. It made him want to do something horrid to her old suitors and father. Something that would make even life long soldiers void their stomachs at the sight of it.

Liam's dark thoughts could linger long though with Nerisyrre Silvern head on his shoulder. Her long hair was half in his face, as it had been a few times on their trip now, which was both irritating and endearing. A bit of a smile returned to his face as he pulled her hand up to his lips. A gentle kiss and a light squeeze followed. Now was not the time for darkness. It was time for joy and a fresh start. Instead of thinking about those who had done them both so much wrong in their relationship it was time for him to start thinking about what would make her happy.

There was something Liam knew would make Syrre instantly happy. He had experienced it a few times during the journey. His smile broadened. His head came to rest on top of her own as he said, "What do I want to do? Well finally having our wedding night would be nice." He was smirking a bit. A little tease he had said to her a few times up until now whenever she had asked him what he wanted. He was going to have to find something else to say though after they finally did have their intimate first together. "But outside of that...the public gardens. We should go to the public gardens together Flower."

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

His reply made her sit up sharply, her cheeks blazing crimson. Her fair brow angled down and she gasped in shock, though the curl of a smile at the corners of her mouth softened it.

"You rogue," she teased back with a pinch to his arm. She looked away with a warm smile, curling herself back against his arm. He'd teased her a few times in the months they'd traveled, but she also knew there was a shred of truth to them.

They had agreed the night they were wed and set on the road that the consummation of said wedding could wait. Though she had wanted to -- had since been colored by desire in rare moments -- there was always something looming over their shoulder, discouraging them from indulging in that intimacy. The fear of her family finding them in the night, the awkwardness of being together as adults instead of children, the discomfort of life on the road, the fear of getting pregnant... Syrre and Liam both knew they had forever, and weren't in a hurry; they were taking their time. Still, waiting wasn't exactly easy when they slept in each other's arms every night, surrounded by beautiful landscapes. She would have been lying to say the temptation hadn't been there.

She perked up that the suggestion of public gardens, her smile painfully bright.

"Oh, can we please?" He knew her too well. Syrre put her arms around him in a tight hug, kissing his cheek haphazardly in excitement. "That sounds wonderful. It should be beautiful this time of year -- the blazing colors of autumn must be fabulous in this region."

With a gleeful grin, she looked up at him.

"And what of what you want to do? You can't spend all our time spoiling me."

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

Liam just chuckled as his wife pinched him and called him a rogue. If he teased her too much it might just be a new nickname of hers for him. He was happy when she settled back in. That lingering hesitation was still about her though when it came to the next big step in their relationship. There was a thousand reasons they should wait and likely a thousand more they weren't aware of. It was the wisest move for them to not rush things. But he couldn't help wondering if it was him. It could be that he wasn't good enough for her. Her parents had told him just that and worse to his face. She was a high born lady and he just a commoner who had attempted too many roles in his life already. Perhaps he was just the excuse she needed to avoid marrying a man she despised so utterly....

The dark thoughts had crept back in. It was always like this when he was on boats. Liam knew how big of a problem it had already been for them and hated how he had no control over it. Nerisyrre Silvern got excited about the proposition for the gardens and his foulness was gone yet again. How many times would she save him from his own mind before they arrived at the city? He smiled to her and blushed a bit at the little outburst of affection. He was painfully aware of how much of a scene they were causing. He just nodded to everyone then turned his attention back to his young wife.

"Of course we can go Flower. I wouldn't have suggested it otherwise." Liam replied back trying to keep his voice down a bit. The urge to let go of the reigns and place his palm over her cheek was great as he looked at her. She was a cute girl as they grew up together but since their time apart she had turned into such a beautiful woman. All of his luck in life surely was spent getting to marry her.

When she mentioned what he wanted to do, he just smiled to her. Seeing her happy was all Liam cared about. She wouldn't have any of that talk though so he needed something to suggest. Then a devilish thought entered his head. An impish smirk spread and he said, "Well I would like to go throw the dice and visit a brothel." He had no desire to visit a brothel, but he knew it would get a reaction out of her. He did kind of want to gamble at dice however. Too bad they didn't have the spare coin for the vice right now.

In less than a minute after Liam's teasing words left his mouth a middle aged man with the scent of spirit upon his breath waddled over. He gave the couple a grin with a few teeth missing. "Brothel and dice you be after? Go visit the Gilded Lady. The place has thickest girls and firmest men in all of Elbion! Also games of chance and drink while you wait." The stranger gave Syrre a wink as if he knew exactly what she liked and was just the man to give it to her.

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

Oblivious to the scene she was making on the ferry, Syrre beamed up at him expectantly. She knew she had a tendency to be selfish, unaware that she was forgetting to care for him as he cared for her. Unaccustomed to the world outside of the Vel Anir houses, she didn't realize how easily she ran him over with her own desires and emotions.

But his playful reply elicited a genuine look of surprise, her brows raising and her smile fading. She knew he was teasing. At least, she hoped he was. In a show of face, she forced a laugh and shook her head as she looked away.

"Now you're trying to get a rise out of me," she accused him.

And it had. Her smile faltered as she looked over Elbion once more, ever clearer as it approached. It was petty -- the anger and jealousy and insecurity that immediately welled up in response to the jest. Syrre hadn't dared to ask if he'd known other women in his absence. After all, he had been the one to leave her, abandoning her to the life that had brutalized her for seven more years before that letter had arrived. Her happy glow faded, her smile wilting and her eyes losing their sparkle. It was a joke, fine, but it struck her in a tender spot.

The man approached suddenly, and she struggled to master her expression as he spoke. When he winked at her, the polite neutrality of her face cracked into a look of repulsion. She didn't like the familiarity of it. Her arm loosed from around Liam's, and she responded by turning her sneer away from both of them. It was one thing to be teased, but another to be embarrassed. Her whole face burned, ruby against her fair complexion.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

What Liam had hoped for was a little outburst followed by him getting hit again or a shocked expression. What he had gotten was seeing Nerisyrre Silvern pretend to find it funny but in reality get very hurt by his comment. His heart sank away and every curse he knew he directed at himself three times internally. He only meant to tease yet here he was hurting her.

Before Liam could hope to apologize and try to find his way out of the hole he had so skillfully dug for himself a stranger approached. The man spouted out some lines clearly said every day to get people to visit a brothel he likely worked for. If he had been there himself he might have found the boldness of the action and comment to be amusing. There was a chance he might even play along for a bit of fun. But he wasn't by himself right now. Syrre was with him and that wink directed her way immediately made him ready to gut the man. That urge only grew stronger after seeing her reaction to it all.

Liam quickly tied the reigns to pole on the wagon and stepped down. He had a smile on his face that would appear to be in good humor. If his wife looked though she might catch the undertone of raw loathing it was masking. He rarely lost his cool, but this man had done just that. He patted the man on his shoulder and said, "Why don't we go talk about this over there? We are private people and my wife doesn't care to speak of our habits so publicly."

The man seemed to understand what Liam was getting at. He directed a second wink towards Syrre and then followed Liam over to the railing. Once they got there, he began to start the conversation back up only to get a fist square in the face. Blood began to gush forth from his broken nose. His hands went up to stop it as an angry shout started to rise from his throat. It was too late however as Liam wasted no time following his strike to shove the man overboard with his back facing the water. There was no chance of him catching anything as he fell.

Liam didn't wait for the splash that followed to begin heading back to the wagon. His right fist was red and scratched up a bit. It had been awhile since he had popped someone like that. People looked at him and shrunk back a bit, but they didn't blame him. The man had been pestering everyone and gotten more than a few people deeply embarrassed. Some of the women and men were even offering him their silent thanks for the much needed deed being done.

Back at the wagon, Liam didn't get back into the pilot seat. Instead he walked over to Syrre so that she was rising over him. He took her hands and held firmly yet gently. He knew she was likely to pull them away. He pressed his forehead against them. "I'm sorry Flower. My teasing went too far. There is only one woman and has only ever been one woman for me in my life: you. I've never been to a brothel nor touched a woman intimately before. The only one I have ever desired to be with in any way is you." He was now at her mercy. It was a lame apology and excuse, even if true. He was aware of this and knew it wasn't enough to make up for the hurt he had caused her. He just hoped she could forgive him despite it.

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

She knew she was overreacting to Liam, but it was hard to contain her pride to the other man. If she had been in Vel Anir, such a thing would have never been tolerated, and would have been mercilessly dealt with by the males of her family.

And, it seemed, the stranger had crossed the line Liam could bear as well. At fist, she watched in shock as he politely dismounted, but there was a certain tension in his jaw and a tight curl of his fingers, that immediately eased that horror. She could read his body language as easily as any book.

She didn't deign to look, but smiled in satisfaction when she heard the thump, cut off yell, and splash. Though she also didn't look at her husband as he returned to the wagon bench, or as he pulled her hands from her lap to rest against his forehead.

Her pettiness could only last her so long, however. The gold wedding band pressed between the fingers he held was a stark reminder that made her heart soften. Syrre sighed, finally facing him.

"You don't need to grovel," she said softly. Withdrawing a hand, she lifted his chin to look into his dark green eyes. "I love you. It is already forgiven."

After the rather public display, she had the presence not to kiss him as she wanted so badly to, and instead kissed the back of his matching gold ring. A secret smile blossomed on her lips as she held the hand in both of hers, resting them in her lap.

"Now no more teasing me." A bit of that light had returned to her eyes. "What would please you to do in Elbion?"

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

Liam was relieved when Syrre had forgiven him. He smiled to her and looked her back in her eyes. Amber globes with one that had blue mixed in. It was a mark of her beauty as well as her heritage. How he wanted to stay lost in that gaze.

Things shifted back to their previous conversation over what he would like to do. Nothing was coming to Liam's mind at all. He was never one for entertainment. It was better to keep his hands busy and mind off of his problems for the years they were apart. If he hadn't thrown himself into his works then he never would have made it back home. All he could think about was what would make her happy.

"I.... I don't know Flower." Liam responded after a bit of thought. "All I want is for you to be happy. A play, the gardens, and perhaps visit a seamstress so you can look over their fabric and dresses is all I can think of. Your smile is the only sight in Elbion I want."

Liam felt like he was failing her right now as a man and husband. Who couldn't even think of one thing they want to do in a city like Elbion? He smiled weakly. "Sorry Nerisyrre."

Nerisyrre Silvern

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

He genuinely didn't seem to know, much the same as her, and she couldn't really fault him for that. She pet the back of his hand, fingers subconsciously tracing the edge of his ring. Syrre knew there were hundreds of things to do in Elbion, and that they would find the ones that interested them as they came. After all, if they were intending to settle here, then they would have plenty of time to do just that.

His apology made her heart clench and her stomach flip. She gave his hand a firm pat.

"No more apologizing. We'll find some lodging and then we can go see some gardens," she proposed. Her voice was far more confident than she felt, but she didn't want him to worry anymore on the matter. A small grumble from her stomach interrupted what she was about to say, and she laughed.

"Maybe some food first," she amended. She looked toward the shore, wishing it would arrive sooner -- for his sake, more than hers. "I've a hankering for anything that isn't our travel fare." Syrre cast him a sidelong look down her cheekbone, a small smirk curling her mouth. Their rations had been a very sudden and jarring welcome to the world outside her gilded palace. She'd made due, and after a few weeks, she realized it was hardly the worst thing she could eat. But Elbion was an oasis in the desert, as far as her delicate palate was concerned.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

This woman was the light of his darkened life. Liam thanked the gods every second for blessing him with her presence and love. There was nothing more than he could want right now than to be with her.

The sappy thoughts had to come to an end as Syrre began to speak. They had a rough plan now and it seemed the first things they did was lodgings and food. He chuckled a bit at her stomach growling. An impish smirk crossed his lips and he said, "Such a lady like sound that was. Do all high born women's stomach speak so eloquently or just yours?"

Liam couldn't help himself with her. He felt like he was a kid again around her with no looming threats against his life or gilded cage waiting for her back home. It was just joyful bliss and playful banter. Nothing could go wrong in these moments.

His stomach growled as well after a bit. It had been some time since they had decent food. Travel rations were meant to keep for long periods of time so the taste was often lacking. It was still better than military rations which he had often questioned if it was actually food or some kind of tiny brick. He chuckled a bit and said, "Lodging then food it is Flower. After we can enjoy the gardens on full stomachs. Tomorrow we can take you to the college and see about getting you in."

Nerisyrre Silvern

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

His jest was a return of his playful nature, and she was fighting a silly grin. He had teased her mercilessly as children, and back in those days, she had done her best to annoy him and his friends when she had the opportunity to steal away. She had missed him dearly and it was reassuring to see that, in spite of the struggles they'd both endured, he was still the same playful boy that he'd been all those years ago.

"But of course," she replied with an air of sincerity, faux sobriety cooling her tone. "A lady must be a lady in all regards." A smile pulled at the corner of her mouth, ruining the effect.

His own stomach complained in kind, and she put a hand up to her mouth as she snickered quietly as he spoke. She nodded, a small bit of her seriousness returning.

"We don't have to go to the college so soon," she urged. Her eyes rested on the city once more. "We could take a day or two to get settled before seeking engagement. A measure of rest has been well earned after so many more on the road. It would do us both some good to relax for a while."

Her heart leaped as her next thoughts formed. Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she had to avert her eyes, to look anywhere but at him. She took the opportunity to scan the river, blinking against the blush that rose to her cheeks. Time alone, with a roof over their heads for the first time since they'd left Vel Anir. Perhaps they'd finally be getting that wedding night after all. She did her best to chase the thought from her mind; she could face that when the time came. Her eyes flitted back toward the city as she grasped for something else to talk about.

"Will it be much longer before we reach the city?" Smiling warmly, she folded his hand in hers and laid them over her heart. "I can hardly wait."

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

All Liam could do was smile at his wife and give her a quick kiss on the cheek. She mentioned taking some time to relax for a few days before they went to the college. It was tempting but could they afford it? He would need to start looking for work soon if they wanted any sort of income. The college should cover everything for her but he and the horses would still need to feed and shelter themselves. That would require coin and coin would get tight soon. Perhaps a couple of days would be fine but more than that was iffy.

Then Nerisyrre Silvern brought up how much longer till the city again. Liam had completely forgotten there about the ferry and the river and death. Remembering it brought it all back and slowly he could feel the anxiety and panic coming back. He looked out at the shore line and studied every little detail like he had before. "We have more than half but less that three fourths." Too long. Too much longer to go. He began to get nervous again like he was before....

The ferry had gotten into the port safely and the wagon got off just as safely. Liam had to do a bit of security checking but eventually found them a trustworthy inn with a stable and wagon house. He got them lodgings for the next three days and care for their horses. He also managed to get directions to the public gardens and found out where some food stalls were. All in all, he had gotten everything done that needed to be before they could eat and enjoy themselves. What his wife did he didn't know. His focus was on the tasks at hand.

"Ready to go Flower?" Liam asked of Syrre. He had a naughty thought come to mind. With a bit of a smirk he said, "Let's go get something to eat." A little smack of her rear and he was heading towards the door.

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

It was all she could do to sit still as the ferry approached the city. Time seemed to crawl by, and she busied herself with inventing idle conversation to distract Liam and to pass the sluggish passage of time. She didn't mind the task; he was her beloved, after all.

Yet, soon enough, they arrived in the port and they made their way to an inn. Her eyes couldn't drink in the sights of the city quick enough. Wide-eyed, she gawked at all that Elbion had to offer. Had she married, Syrre may have never seen such a far-off place. At least, she didn't think she would have. Her former betrothed had been a staunch, boorish man who would have kept her at home only to be shown off to the company when he wanted to boast. But she wasn't about to let such thoughts cloud her enthusiasm. Periodically nudging Liam as they rode through the streets, she pointed out everything of any remote measure of interest to her husband. She was generally glowing.

The inn was simple but reliable (as Liam assured her). She carried up a few of their things from the wagon with Liam, and offered to stay in the room while he went about making further arrangements. Setting down their few belongings, when she was left alone she looked over the room and propped her hands on her hips. It was a simple room, but it was warm and dry and wasn't the bed of the wagon.

While she waited on her husband's return, she made the plain room homier. She laid their quilt over the one provided, folding it down invitingly, opened the window to let in a bit of fresh air, shook out and refolded their clothes, and propped their remaining packs out of the way. There was already a pitcher of water provided at a small vanity with a cloudy mirror, and she filled the basin enough to wash the dust from the road from her face and hands.

She had no sooner sat down on the bed with a relaxed sigh than Liam had returned. Syrre jumped back up with a bright smile.

"I'm ready," she replied, fetching her cape from where it was neatly folded. Donning it, she had been tieing it when he gave her behind a playful smack.

"Liam Silvern," she scolded, feigning shock as she whirled to look at him. But a smile crept across her expression and the bridge of her nose blazed pink, breaking the attempted seriousness. Syrre finished fastening the cape and gave his arm a playful smack with the back of her fingers.

"You watch yourself or you can sleep on the tavern bench with the other rogues," she teased. But she followed him to the door and laced her fingers with his, smiling with undiluted happiness.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

The plan after the love pat to his wife's rear was to just head out the door and find some food. That plan now had changed. When Nerisyrre Silvern dared to tease him by threatening to have his sleep on the bench and called him a rogue, it got Liam's playful rogue side excited. Another naughty idea came to his mind as he stopped. A smirk crossed his face and he turned to his wife.

"A rogue I certainly am Flower. Didn't you know that I swooped in and carried the noble lady off into the night before her wedding could take place?" Liam responded as he mimicked his words with action. He quickly had come upon her and picked her up. He held her in his arms like a princess from one of those tales told back when they were still youth.

"I stole her away and fled then stole kisses from her relentlessly!" Liam began to kiss Syrre repeatedly. The first was on her lips and the next was as well. After they began to find themselves in random places across her face such as her cheeks, nose, or forehead. He even kissed the side of her neck.

"Such a fiend am I that I paraded her around Elbion in my arms just ruining her fiance's reputation for all time." Liam kicked the door to their room open and carried her off into the inn's common area still holding her up. This got stares from the people ranging from annoyance to jealousy to just bewilderment. A pair of apathetic eyes were cast on them by an elderly couple as well as if this sort of display was everyday. Liam didn't care about the looks personally. They did not know him nor his wife. All that mattered to him was getting to tease his Flower and show her how much he supported her. He was doing so right now physically as he headed for the door after all.

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

She had turned to look at him with a soft smile, preparing to enjoy a silly game with him, but he suddenly swept her off of her feet, and she squealed in delight and surprise.

"Kite!" she laughed, folding her hands over her chest. She was a riot of giggles, trying to turn her mouth away from him and attempting to shove her shoulder between his mouth and her neck.

"You rogue! You'll ruin me!" But she didn't pull away from him or demand to be put down. Quite the contrary, she tucked her knees closer and turned her face into the crook of his neck. Her cheeks were blazing crimson and her thin hands rose to cover her embarrassment -- and her broad grin. Such a display would have been a pure scandal in Vel Anir, to have shown such disregard for a noble house, her reputation, and her betrothed.

Syrre loved it.

She was a fit of giggles before they even reached the door. "Please, you fiend," she pled. "Spare some small shred of my dignity."

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

It was going to be a challenge for Liam to get Nerisyrre Silvern out the door while carrying her like the princess she was. So it was a good thing a kind soul decided to open it up for them so they could leave. Their savior got booed by some of their fellow patrons who just hated the sickeningly sweet romance being forced upon their eyes by the young married couple. Liam gave the person a nod and thankful smile for the deed.

The street was busy with people as Liam exited with Syrre still in his arms. The giggling, blushing mess had begged him for mercy. He just smirked down at her. They both knew what his answer to that was going to be. He leaned down and kissed her lips passionately. It was not the playful kind he had been doing either. It was the kind he had given her after they made their vows and were officially wed before the eyes of the gods and their priest. It was filled with his love for her and showed how unashamed he was to express it before all the strangers that gave them looks as they past them by.

Breaking away perhaps too soon for his liking, Liam said, "There. The only dignity you have left now is in knowing my love for you." With that he just smiled at her warmly. A rare look for the hardened man. After a moment he stopped and refocused. They needed to eat then see the gardens. He began to look around and found a food stand not too far away. He carried her over to it.

Arriving the scent of freshly grilled meats, fungi, vegetables, and fruits filled the air. Liam's stomach growled at him once more. It had been some time since they could have anything close to as fresh as these skewers were. He smiled to the cook with his wife still in his arms. "Two mixed skewers." His gaze went to Syrre's lovely face. "And what would you like Flower?"

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

She peered out from between her hands, and he stole a kiss. But it wasn't the chaste little kisses he'd given her earlier, or even along the whole of this trip. No, this was the deep, burning kind. It made her heart thrill and a warmth coil in the pit of her stomach. Sighing, she leaned into it, and when he withdrew she blinked up at him, breathless.

"The only thing I'll ever need," she replied softly. Syrre placed her hand on his cheek, basking in the glow of his warm smile. It gave her life, that rare show of unbridled love.

All too soon it faded, and she laid her head against his shoulder as he carried her down the street. Her cheeks flushed with a renewed embarrassment, but she simply hid her face behind slim fingers and rumbled with quiet laughter. When he arrived at the food stall and asked her what she would like, however, she looked up at him.

"I would like to stand, please," she peeped, looking up at him from under her lashes and a coy smile curling her pouting lips. Her gold and blue eyes were in sharp contrast to the vivid pink band across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

Liam looked down at his wife as she told him what she wanted. She asked to be put down instead of saying what she wanted. The way she asked as well was adorable. He couldn't have that now. He smiled at her in a way that seemed to say he understood what she wanted then kissed the tip of her nose.


"Hurry up and tell the man what you want Flower or you won't get anything." Liam said to her with that smile still on his face.

Liam would never make her go without food. There was plenty of times he had given her some of his food on the trip because of how lean she looked. It was as if her family had purposefully limited what she could have just to reach some idiotic fantasy of beauty that only the nobility cared for. Give him a healthfully plump Syrre any day and he would be happy. In fact, that was one of his goals now that they were in Elbion. He was going to get her back to a healthy weight and put some more meat back on her bones.

 

[Nerisyrre Silvern]

Her plea was met with a wry smile and a kiss on the nose, and she truly pouted. Of course, it hadn't worked. He bid her hurry up with her answer and she glanced toward the stall, only to have the heat in her cheeks renewed. She looked back up at him.

"I'll have the same as you, then," she said quietly. She smiled sweetly, obediently. In truth, Syree had no idea what she was ordering and no clue what this place even offered. Whatever "mixed skewers" were, she hadn't the slightest idea. But she would eat whatever it was without complaint, for certain. It wasn't the hard biscuits and dried meat and berries they'd lived on for weeks. She would feast like it was the finest of meals in the halls of the noble families.

"Now may I please get down?" Laying it on thick, her voice was sickeningly sweet and she batted her odd eyes up at him.

// Liam Silvern //

 

[Liam Silvern]

"Make it four for her please." Liam added immediately after Nerisyrre Silvern had ordered her food. He did want to plump her behind up after all. That got them a nod from the cook who seemed to just not notice the fact Liam was still carrying Syrre like a princess.

Another plea to be let down came from his wife and again Liam couldn't help himself. He just replied right away, "No thanks." Then kissed her yet again. If she kept being so adorable he was never going to let her down because last time he did they spent years apart from each other. As much as he seriously considered holding her up though, he knew he was going to have to put her down. His arms would eventually give out after all even though he could still hold her light figure up for awhile longer and more importantly he was going to have to pay for their food soon.

Liam decided to keep holding onto her and giving her a kiss every often until the cook set a thin wooden plate down in front of him with their six skewers on it. The cook said, "Thirty coppah." Liam frowned a bit. He set his wife down finally and looked to the cook.

"Twenty. Five copper each is thievery." Liam said.

"Meat, mushrooms, vegetables, and fruit all on one skewer is the mixed. Five copper each. Pay me thirty,"

"The meat and maybe the mushrooms, maybe, are expensive but the rest is cheap. Four copper each so twenty four."

The cook scowled at Liam for a bit then huffed. "Fine. Twenty four. Bloody stubborn mule."

Liam pulled the copper out of his coin pouch and set it in the counter. He grabbed their skewers and handed Syrre her four. They had fowl meat, likely pigeon, and some very common tiny mushrooms often used for stews on them. They also contained some chunks of cucumber and turnips as well as chunks of apple. It was all seasoned with some powdered garlic and salt aside from the apple which had a little bit of honey on it. He took a smell and savored the rich mixture of sweet and hot fat.

After pulling the first bit of cucumber off the end of one of his skewers, Liam looked to Syrre. He chewed and swallowed before asking, "How is it Flower?"