Private Tales The Sign of the Lindwurm

A private roleplay only for those invited by the first writer
No, they would not keep it a secret, but he was right about announcing it publicly. There was no need to announce anything. He was in charge and she was his second. She was not a young initiate that he had taken up with. He was not crossing any professional lines when you looked at the fact that she did the majority of the work anyways. If anything, he was her second. She chuckled lightly and realized that she was laughing at a serious moment when his arms tightened even more around her.

"I want to return to. I want to lay next to you in bed and not worry about being attacked." She stepped away slightly and looked up at him. "But for now, we need to make a fire and rest. We had a long day and I just want to sit and talk until we fall asleep."

She knew they would not be able to fall asleep together and that was what she really wanted. She needed him to hold her until she fell asleep in the safety of his arms.
 
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"You're right," he said, almost sullenly. "Talking sounds nice, Teagan." It was just her making a fire, but this sort of sudden attachment lent itself to many strange emotions Gerard wasn't used to experiencing. He felt almost boyish in how he was seeing her, a feeling he hoped wouldn't last for the potential professional issues it would almost certainly cause. Truthfully, the most lingering feeling he had was a prevailing thought he'd had many times before: where would he be without her?

Gerard helped set up their campsite, sitting down afterwards and relaxing against a tree. He would wait until his watch to eat some of their rations; it wasn't exactly a ceremonious thing to eat.

"Never thought we'd end up in a situation like this, and we've been through a lot of scrapes together. You must have been worried sick," he said.
 
Once Teagan got the fire going and the camp was set up, she went over to the tree that Gerard was sitting against. She took a seat next to him and took his left hand in her right. They just sat there in silence for a good while until she finally spoke.

"Gerard, do you remember that first mission we went on together?" She smiled at the memory. She had not wanted to work with him and she had complained quite a bit about it to boot. "The one where I nearly killed you...on accident," her voice held humor that she now felt about the incident. It was an exaggeration, of course. It was a clean shot and he was fine within a few weeks.

Teagan wasn't even sure why she was bringing it up. She had shot him on purpose and, she suspected, that was why he now wore heavier armor. She had noticed the scar on his left bicep the previous evening and she now touched it gently.

She did feel midly bad, but not enough to apologize. They were both young and he had been annoying as shit.
 
Gerard laughed as she mentioned her story. At the time he was quite irritated, but looking back it was a bit humorous. He'd never let her know, but an archer of her caliber didn't make "accidental" shots, especially not to the arm, and certainly not at so low of a draw that the arrow drew blood but didn't ruin his arm for shooting. He'd thought about that over the years, and on days like this, maybe he'd deserved that as an advance punishment.

Her touch on his bicep was strangely enticing; he wasn't used to Teagan being gentle and seeing her act this way had Gerard taken aback, but pleased. It dawned on him however that while he knew much of her fighting and work habits, he actually didn't know much about her love language, and so he thought maybe the contrast of her being gentler wasn't so strange after all.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close after she touched him and they'd held hands for a moment. He pulled her into his chest, gently rubbing her back and kissing her forehead.

"Yes, I remember," he said, smiling. Need he say more? They were close again, and he felt relaxed and comfortable, much more so than the previous night, now that they were finally alone and out of danger. He heaved a relaxed sigh, squeezing her back here and there as the fire slowly burned in front of them.
 
Teagan was surprisingly comfortable in Gerard's arms. It was like they had always been meant to be like this and now it just felt so perfect - so right. "Tell me something, Gerard. Something I don't know about you." Her voice held some humor because she knew a lot about him already but not a lot about him.

She could tell someone about most of his accomplishments since he had been a part of the Brotherhood of the Bow but she had no idea what his favorite color was or why he loved her or why he had even joined the Brotherhood. She thought about how crazy it was that she knew so much and so little at the same time.
 
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Gerard began poring over his memories after she asked her question. It was an odd one, since, after all, what didn't she know at this point considering their extensive service together? Well, he supposed there was probably at least one story he could tell.

"I almost lost everything to a boar when I was a boy," he said. "My papa was teaching me how to hunt, and I wanted to impress him... so I waited in a bush one day when a boar happened by. I thought my little bow could do something to it, and I suppose it did, but that something was just making it angry! I never climbed so fast in my life, you'd have thought me a squirrel by the way I got myself up that tree. But the worst part? The boar kept butting its head against the tree, and I think it damn near could have had it been more persistent."

He let the story hang for a moment before continuing.

"Sometimes I think we do the craziest things for others, not ourselves. I was just trying to impress my dad."

Gerard held her a little closer, feeling the weight of their situation returning a little.
 
Teagan actually had never heard that story and she smiled as she laid against his chest. "Like trying to outrun an ancient monster to save the woman you love?" It probably was one of the craziest things Gerard had ever done since she'd known him. Risking his life in the hopes that he would save hers. Stupid is what it was, but she couldn't find it in her heart to fault him since she would've done the exact same thing.

"Gerard, I have a secret and I think you may like it," she let the silence linger just a little longer than she normally would have so make him squirm a little. "I have a home in the city that I escape to as often as possible. I want you to have a key to it..."

Her voice trailed off as she sat up to look at her love. They both had a home within the headquarters and she was not sure if he had a private one but she needed her own.
 
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"Yes, something like that," Gerard said with a smile. He knew he'd put them in an impossible situation, but how would he make that situation less impossible in the future? Then, Teagan reminded him of their own impossible situation...

"I always wondered where you were going when you weren't at the guild," he said. He teasingly added, "Is that where you take all of your forbidden lovers?" It maybe wasn't the most tasteful joke at this point in time, but her revelation and their admissions for each other were small glimmers of hope in their otherwise untenable situation of the Wurm.

When he looked at her, though, he couldn't help but wonder if maybe with her he could just leave the Wurm behind, never worrying about it again... and they could just be together. It was a naive thought, to be certain, but a comforting one, too...
 
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"I need time away from the children sometimes," Teagan chuckled. A lot of her troops were older than her but they were still like her children since she was in charge of their safety. "I have never taken any lovers there, thank you very much!" She sounded offended but she wasn't. "You are the only lover who will ever see it and you are not forbidden."

Was he though? Were they? No, they were adults and they were allowed to love each other. They were not even that far apart in rank so it shouldn't matter at all. She knew it would though. That is how life worked.

"We really should get some sleep, I am exhausted so I know you are as well." She leaned in and kissed him softly. "Will you sleep next to me, Gerard?"
 
Gerard teased her more, unable to help himself.

"Wait, you have a private residence outside the guild hall and haven't used it to serenade a few unthinking paramours? Now I know you've only purchased it for vanity, and of course, I can't help but wonder about what it means that you'd rather be fooling around in the guildhall than the comforts of your very own bedsheets... Still, I suppose I do feel a bit special being the only one allowed to ravish you there, if I may say so."

It was a fleeting comfort that he could be so flippant about the situation, even if only for a moment. If they couldn't laugh about it, then that had darker implications that Gerard didn't want to let fester.

"I fear I cannot sleep in the wake of something so terrible, but if you like..." he kissed her back, gently, "I can stay near you, and make sure no nightly terror disturbs you."
 
Teagan glared at Gerard as he teased her. "You make it sound like I have had so many men in my bed, Gerard. Plus I don't want anyone knowing about my secret oasis. No, it's bad enough I brought anyone from within the guild to my bed." She grimaced at her own words. She did not mean that as a jab towards Gerard. She loved him and it was more than she could say about any other man.

"I didn't mean to sound like this is a mistake. It isn't." She looked down for a moment and then back up at him. "I suppose I will take what I can get. Just being in your arms will help me sleep, my love."
 
Gerard couldn't help but think her angry features were, at least in some way, cute or endearing, not because she wasn't threatening, but rather because he'd never seen her so worked up about something so inconsequential before. It was a welcome relief given the day's events, and he hoped to get many reactions from her, not just like that, but of all the sorts a person in love wants to see from their newly-found beau or belle.

He pulled her close, trying to help her get comfortable in his arms; they still had some of the awkward hallmarks of a new relationship, with Gerard being unable to find just the right spot to pull Teagan so that she might rest comfortably. Maybe it wasn't an issue to her, but damn if he wasn't being so very attentive to her at this moment. Once he found an acceptable spot, he rested his arms at last, allowing her to lean into him.

"If it's my arms you need, you shall have them, love," he said.

Still... he wondered just what she meant by not thinking this was a mistake. At last, he figured, perhaps she was simply feeling that same anxiety he was about the guild, and just voiced it again... He wouldn't sleep at all that night, thoughts of the Wurm weighing far too heavily on his mind. Still the voice of the beast echoed in his ears, a constant reminder of how close they'd gotten to being eaten alive. Eventually, the night would relent and the starry canvas would peel back to reveal a new dawn, as Gerard patiently waited for Teagan to awaken.
 
It did not take long for Teagan to fall asleep wrapped in Gerard's strong arms. It may have been the exhaustion or stress from the day, but she was out and her sleep was dreamless again. She felt safe with Gerard and that may have been part of the reason that she rested so well.

She woke up in the same position that she had fallen asleep in. Gerard looked tired and she could tell that he hadn't sleep at all. She didn't like it. They needed to get back to the guild halls so he could get some sleep again. "Good morning, Gerard." Teagan yawned and snuggled into him a little more. She was awake but that did not mean she was ready to move.
 
As she snuggled into him more firmly, Gerard gently stroked her hair which, despite their bath yesterday, had likely gotten dirt and snags and other things into it. These things were reminders of the road they walked, emblems of the places they had been, and tokens of the lives they led. His mind wandered to details he might have missed during their intimate encounters, the scars she may have had that he didn't see for his wandering eyes, and the other proofs of battle she doubtless carried.

It was easy to let her closer, easy to accept her when it was just the two of them here. He wondered if they shouldn't just escape entirely, for a moment.

"Good morning, Teagan. I hope you slept well." It was a mechanical answer, but such might be expected of someone who just stood vigil the whole night as he had. He was thankful the Wurm hadn't come; perhaps it was watching them still, plotting its revenge, or perhaps it was still tending to its wound. And as neutral as his tone was, perhaps it made sense that after all this time, he was still distracted by his fears...
 
"Can we make a deter to my home in the city before we go back to the guild? I don't think I am ready to go back to reality just yet and they can survive without us for a little longer." Teagan spoke honestly. She wasn't ready to go back to being a commander, not yet. She wanted to spend some time with Gerard in an environment that did not lend itself to them dying.

She still did not move away from him though. Her own fears running through her mind as she closed her eyes again. The what ifs, the should haves. Her biggest worry was that he would change his mind about them once they returned to real life and she needed to keep that from happening.
 
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"Of course we can stop there first," he said, reassuringly. "The guild doesn't know when we'll be returning, and besides... we could use a few days to rest after what just happened."

He wondered privately what kind of home it was. Perhaps it was a small townhouse, or maybe it was something more spacious. Being a mercenary was lucrative, but also had a lot of operating costs... He also wondered when she had the time to maintain such a space. Regardless, he was excited to return to this place with her, where hopefully they could spend some time recovering. They were quite lucky to have not taken any physical injuries, although only time would tell what the extent of the emotional toll would be.

"When should we get going?" he cooed.
 
"Now," Teagan said softly as she slowly pulled away from Gerard. She was awake now and excited to get on the road. She was excited to get to her home - possibly their home in the future - and show Gerard the small townhome. She had purchased the home about five years ago and she had made it her own. Her rooms in the guild hall had never been more than a place to sleep and write.

She stood and gathered their packs. They were still on one horse for the remainder of the trip and she felt bad for the poor animal. It was probably still tired from yesterdays sprint.
 
That was just like her, he supposed, to get up so suddenly and be ready to move again. It was a handy skill to have for mercenaries like themselves, and in some situations, life-saving. But now his thoughts were turning towards home, or at least a home of sorts, back to Alliria and the familiar sights of the city where the guildhall was. He stood with her, helping to pack up their small camp before saddling up, ready to ride back. The journey wouldn't be too long now--he would let her take the reins, as he was too tired even to be handling a horse here in the forest. In time, they would make their way back to familiar fields and other sights, and by nightfall they would reach the city again. Gerard awoke somewhere in between, and now that they were in Alliria, his eyes wandered from building to building, wondering when at last they might find Teagan's home.
 
Teagan's town home sat in the middle class area of Alliria. She had paid a small fortune for the place and she never planned to sell it. She brought the horse to the stable that she used nearby the house. Once they were all ready and had gathered their bags from the beast, they set off down the road towards her house. It was dark out so the outside features were nothing special but she unlocked the door and invited Gerard in. She hit a couple of spots that she clearly knew by heart and several lanterns were lit within a minute.

The two-story home had the kitchen, living room, and washroom downstairs with three bedrooms and another washroom upstairs. She had thought about her future family when she had purchased the places. It was much too large for just her. The soft glow from the fire illuminated her dark green fabric couch and its matching twin chairs. A low dark wooden table sat in front of the couch and a hearth sat on the far end of the room.

Teagan plopped down on the couch instead of making a fire. She was so tired again and she knew that Gerard was too. He had slept a little bit on their ride, but it wasn't enough. She yawned and patted the couch next to her. "Come sit for a little bit before we go to bed."
 
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His eager anticipation was met finally with the sight of Teagan's house after their trek through the city streets, and finally they entered in dim candlelight and lantern's glow. Gerard was at once impressed and disturbed by the sight of her home, mainly because the question lingered in his mind of how Teagan had managed to get so nice of a home in the middle of the city and not a word was breathed between them prior to this moment about it. It made him regretful he hadn't purchased his own form of post-guild life to return to once he invariably retired, although some part of him thought that might just be because he perhaps thought he wouldn't survive to see a life after the guild.

The house was decently large, especially for someone as busy as Teagan to maintain, and Gerard's thoughts wandered back to what she'd said before about a family. Her parents had obviously done so within the guild's limits, but it seemed Teagan's ambitions for that life might have a different course than guild life. The warm glow of the fire was comforting and inviting, and it was nice to finally sit down and rest on something so soft and supportive. He accepted Teagan's invitation and sat close to her, looking in the direction of the fire somewhat vacantly as he leaned back, trying to relax. Yes, it would be good to stay here a few days, and rest...

"This is quite the space," he said. "When did you have time to do all of this?"
 
Teagan laid against the back of the couch and sighed happily. She could tell that Gerard was slightly perplexed and it made her smile. One should never underestimate the sneakiness of a woman. No one in the guild knew about this place. She liked it that way. It was her own private hideaway that no one cold take from her. Ever.

Teagan chuckled when he asked how she had time to do all this. She had her ways. "My father helps me out. He may have been the driving factor of originally getting it." She paused and looked over at him. "Don't worry, him and his fiancé live together full time on the other side of the city. He comes and checks in on this place once or twice a week."

She was so happy that her father had found love again. He deserved to be happy. Just like she did. Gerard seemed lost in thought now. "What is on your mind, my love?"
 
It was all sensible; have family come and watch the place for him. He'd helped fund his own family with his earnings from the guild, but they lived out in the Reach still, hopefully far from danger or any of the horrors of war Gerard had visited in his own lifetime. He'd certainly come very far from being a simple poacher. He was glad for Teagan's father, given her family situation.

"Less is on my mind now that we're somewhere safe," he said. "I'm still trying to calm myself after what happened. Your fireplace is welcoming, and I feel my strength and sanity returning, a bit." He turned to her, offering a weak smile. "What about you? What's on your mind now, Teagan?"
 
Teagan sighed and rubbed her head. What wasn't on her mind? She was too young to retire, but it really sounded good right now. She didn't want to go back to the guild hall. She wanted to stay with Gerard and live in this house and have a family. Life was cruel sometimes.

"I just want us to be happy and a couple. That's it." She took his hand in her own and smiled sadly. What would happen if she got pregnant? She wouldn't be able to led the troops. It was that moment that she realized neither of them had been thinking of babies earlier. Fuck.

She was fully aware that her face was probably going through a million emotions and she just couldn't stop it from happening.
 
He took her hand in his own and rubbed his thumb across hers, slowly and with understanding. He looked at her with condolence in his eyes, and his eyes gleamed in the dime firelight with a faint flicker of hope.

"If that is all you want, then I can give you that," he said. "I have spent a lifetime as a fighter and bow for hire, and I fear I have grown weary of it. Battle no longer excites me, only fills me with dread, and that is not something befitting a mercenary commander. But I know you, and while you say we're all you want... I should think your mind is too brilliant to be satisfied with so so simple an ambition. For while this feeling is new, the years of our experiences together have wound our fates together, and should you ask, I am yours. So that is not something I think you should worry too much about..."

Still, she was younger than him and while he'd run his course with the guild, he had doubts that she would be satisfied with the idea of abandoning it all in favor of... what, exactly? They'd take a healthy stipend from retiring early, of course, and maybe they'd find happiness doing something else, but... this kind of ill-conceived plan was too convenient for people in their position. Still, it was a possibility... but either way, the question lingered: what was next for Gerard and Teagan?
 
Gerard had had a life before the guild, Teagan hadn't. She was born in the halls, raised in the halls, and now worked in the halls. That was the only life she had ever known. "I don't know..." Her voice trailed off as she moved her feet onto the couch and laid down with her head in Gerard's lap. She looked into his face and smiled slightly. "Will you be mine, Gerard? For however long you'll have me?"

She yawned and closed her eyes for a second. This was perfect. "You know you can retire anytime you want. I am sure there is someone to take over the guild." Someone she wouldn't have to worry about whenever she or he was out on a mission. That was her real fear. What if he got seriously hurt or killed?!
 
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