Private Tales The Blooms Over Fields

[Perrine Urahil]

Too much time had passed since Val and herself had spent time together in Dornoch, learning about one another and slowly coming to an understanding that what was between them was no ordinary friendship. That news reached them as soon as they were to leave to return home to Vel Anir, a union presented between the Great Houses Urahil and Pirian. Her father had wanted to wait until she was present to tell her, but it had been her cousin Felix that broke the news to her.

Val's own father had written to him, had listed all the positive outcomes this union would make as if to convince his bachelor son.

Perrine had insisted they court first. They extend their engagement so that she could see to wrapping up her duties.

That was before the war rolled in like a storm. Perrine was still a Dreadlord, a Healer, and one that saw the front lines longer than anyone should have seen. She had been used to exhaustion, to pushing herself to her limits and still work beyond that, but the war had broken away at her piece by piece, day by day. Nights where she tried to sleep, tried to earn herself some rest, she had softly cried into her pillow in a bid to rid herself of bottling up everything.

Until at long last, it had been her future husband that had written to the officials to send Perrine home.

To him. To Vel Numera, so that she could restore herself in the country.

She had her own rooms that were connected to one another. Bed chambers, a bathing room, and a sitting room where Val had organised whatever art tools she needed to create. She took her early meals in that room, staring out the window from the dining table or seated at her easel where a blank canvas waited for her to change. Perrine still held a weight upon her shoulders, for her own family was turning to disrepair. A death, sudden and violent, had changed the course of how the Urahils moved in this world. To ensure Perrine's safety, a Stormguard was tasked to follow her wherever she went.

Perrine felt pity for the young woman. Her name was Blair Rennick, and she looked up to her Pirian distant cousins. Spoke highly of them each, and became a tool for Perrine to learn more about the family, home, and life she was to marry into at the end of the fortnight.

Today, there was to be no wedding preparations or decisions to be made. Perrine had asked for some quiet, had invited Val to come sit with her and provide company. She hated being alone. It reminded her too much of how real it was that she had endured being alone to heal more than twenty beds.

 

[Val Pirian]

A humorous time, it had been, when Lord Tobias and Lady Henrietta Pirian had hesitantly presented their son with a new marriage arrangement. For a brief time, Val felt panic rise within him when they sat him down and explained that, now in his 30's, the time for him to settle down was long overdue. That anxiety had so quickly folded into laughter when the realization was made: his arranged bride to be was the lady he was already courting.

War saw his sweet Perrine spirited away from him. Val cursed Cortos and Vel Anir equally, that the two should dare separate him from the woman that had captured his heart so early into their relationship. Letter after letter was sent, Val exercising what political muscle House Pirian could feasibly flex without causing some great scandal or diplomatic incident.

At last, after far too long, the correct high-ranking guardsman received a letter that applied its pressure appropriately. Perrine was to come home. With the enthusiastic blessing of the current Lady of Vel Numera, his very own cousin Kristen Pirian, arrangements were made for Val and Perrine's extended stay in the more scenic of House Pirian's two held cities.

Val entered the quiet sitting room Perrine had settled within with great ardor. Things had been busy since she'd returned, but he'd still managed to ensure time was spent together each and every day. Today would be a nice break for them to take together, perhaps something of a callback to the days they spent in Dornoch.

"Hello, Love," Val said as he wrapped his arms around Perrine from behind, the arms of that same old greatcoat he was so fond of finding its way around her torso. "About time we had a moment's respite, eh?"

 

[Perrine Urahil]

Hearing those doors open, her head whipped to see her betrothed. A smile lit up her face, already putting down her things but not in time to properly greet him. His embrace from behind was a comfort, even the scent of him washed over her and she felt at ease all at once. She exhaled, heavily, and leaned against him. "I have not have had so much quiet and isolation in... what feels like years."

Every day she had been put to work. Too much of it, perhaps, but she worked tirelessly where she could. Until she met Val. Spent an entire evening laying beside him and speaking of anything and everything, neither of them could stop. By the time dawn came and they had to part ways, they both knew they had to see each other again. Dornoch had felt like a dream. To travel somewhere without being introduced as Dreadlord Urahil, or even Proctor.

Perrine leaned her head back, her lips catching his jaw. "Have you anything planned for today? If not, I would not mind going for a walk about the gardens again." It was a better day for her mentally if she wished to leave her rooms. A clear sign she was up to the task of seeing others, of managing conversation.