Private Tales What Absence Makes

[Míriel Fëanorna]

"Thanks," Miri inclined her head then picked her way carefully down towards where she could see he was aiming to dock.

There was a certain amount of trepidation as she walked and her heart began to hammer in her chest. Her feelings if anything had only grown when they had been apart and taken root in her heart. There had been countless times where she had seen something or heard something she had thought he would like and it had hurt her not to be able to share it with him. Yet there was also the feeling of relief as she stopped along the shore and set her bag down between her feet.

He had made it home.

Miri had thought she would be able to sense in some way if he hadn't but it was a frivolous idea. A crooked smile wound its way across one half of her face as she saw him dock.

"Happy Summer Solstice."

 

[Baise]

"Yeah," grunted the man, before continuing to speak in Fivrek. He might have been continuing a conversation from before Miriel had approached.

However, one of the fishermen followed her at a distance. He stopped at the end of the dock and watch Miriel. As a community they were deeply suspicious of outsiders.



Valthar wasn't certain how much work he had missed in the last week. The days were long and mny of his hours were spent rowing in to the small jetty because of the sight of another boat coming in.

Valthar couldn't know which ship would hold her. And if she did arrive, he didn't know exactly what would come next. Months had passed. Much could have changed.

His arms ached as he grounded his small boat. Valthar hopped down onto the pebbles, getting his feet wet. It was summer and yet he kept shivered when the cold attacked his extremities.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

The blacksmith struggled not to rest her hands on her blades when she sensed the fisherman following her. It would hardly do to start a fight just off the boat and this wasn't the first place she had visited where she had received odd looks. Elves were an odd sight in most cities. So instead of focusing on the figure behind her she rolled her shoulders a little and focused on the one walking up the pebbled beach.

Miriel pushed the hood back from her face and tried to not grimace as the wind bit at her cheeks. Summer indeed, she thought bitterly to herself. As they walked towards one another her heart began to race. Their goodbye had been painful and the weeks following even more so. She had dreamed about seeing him again; what she would say, what she would do. Any subtle plans went out the window as her pace picked up.

When they met in the middle of the beach Miri barely missed a beat as she jumped, her arms wrapping around his neck and her legs about his waist as she kissed him openly. There was no care for anyone else.

 

[Baise]

He knew it was here. As she came down from the main dock and pulled back her hood it was obviously Miriel. His heart knew, his head wanted to play tricks on him. It tried to prepare him for a disappointment despite what he could see.

So few southerners came to this town. The layers of clothes showed this person was a southerner. The hood coming back revealed elven ears. Two swords hung from her belt.

A string of questions ran through his mind. He had chewed over many of them as he sat on his boat, bobbing in the cold. There had been a lot of time. Much could have changed from where they had left off.



Miriel crossed those last few meters so quickly that he didn't get a single word out. As she wrapped him up in her arms she answered so many of his questions

The shingle hissed beneath him as he took her weight and kissed her back. The tension rolled back as easily as the tide.

Valthar took a deep breath when their lips finally broke apart.

"You took your time," he said, grin spreading from ear to ear.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

A knot she had been carrying in her chest the moment he had turned and walked from her door slowly unravelled. Miriel found herself able to breathe for the first time in what felt like centuries and when they parted it was with reluctance. She made no move to get down from his arms and instead rested her forehead against his. Their noses brushed and their slightly ragged breaths mingled in the space between them. Her hazel eyes crinkled at the corners as he lightly teased her and soon he had her chuckling. So easy. It all came so easy with him.

"I told you I would be here on the Summer Solstice and not a moment sooner," the longest day of the year for the folk of the Tundra. Back home Alliria would be suffering their shortest and possibly coldest day. When she had left the first frost had begun to creep in. Her fingers played with the curls of his hair at the base of his neck as her eyes searched his for something, though for what even Miri was unable to truly describe. A change perhaps? There had been a tiny concern in her that he would have forgotten her once he was amongst his own kind but the kiss has demonstrated they both wanted to pick up from where they had left things on her doorstep.

"I've missed you," the elf's eyes softened somewhat as she spoke her confession. Miri knew he wasn't one for big shows of affection but she wanted him to know her own in that moment.

 

[Baise]

They breathed the same air, frigid as it was. He felt a sense of relief wash over him. It had been playing on his mind for some time. His journey was now in his past, but he had left something behind there.

The future was another matter. He did not know what it held. Sitting on his boat and waiting for the time to bring the nets in had been the same. It hadn't felt as fulfilling. Valthar didn't know if that was simply because Miriel had been left behind him, or because he needed more in his life now. She was here, which meant they could find out together.

"I've missed you too," he said simply. It was all he felt he needed to say in return. There was more, far more, but it could wait.

"And I would wager you have missed the warmth of a fire during your time at sea?" he asked.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

Miriel began to laugh and then she dipped her face to steal the warmth from his lips once more.

"Very, very much so. I thought this was meant to be summer?" she complained when she pulled back once more to allow them both some air. It felt as though her body had been starving of him though and she had had plenty of fresh air for the months he had been gone. It seemed an easy answer which of the two she was willing to sacrifice in that moment. Reluctantly she unwrapped her legs from about his waist and dropped to the ground.

"You were right about the stranger thing though. There was a few times I thought I was going to have to teach your Nordens that the Southerners aren't all soft," her smile was a playful thing that danced across her face. Her eyes then flickered to the fisherman who had been watching her before before back to Valthar. "It's made me miss the privacy of a house."

 

[Baise]

"Well, we can do something about that," Valthar said with a low chuckle. He looked around as if remembering where he actually was. It was hard to reconcile Mirierl and those gloriously hectic days with the current tranquillity of his home.

"Don't tell anyone, but I'm finding it very fucking cold," he added. "They'll get used to you being around. As you can imagine, not many outsiders make the journey here. Times have been difficult too."

It was an assumption that she wasn't going to be leaving immediately. Judging by the way she had closed to space between them, he thought that had to be true.

Valthar turned to his boat, making quick work of tying it off safely. He didn't want the high tide to sweep it away.

"Privacy and a fire then," he repeated.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

For whatever reason, it made her feel a whole lot better than Valthar was finding it cold up here too. As he walked away to tend to his boat she trailed after him like a curious cat. Considering how much he had spoken of it to see it finally in person was quite the big moment for her. It had been everything in her mind from a great beast of a ship to a tiny little dingy depending on her mood, but what bobbed on the waves before her was perfect. It fit Valthar like a glove and she couldn't help but smile.

"So this is what you were so eager to come home for?" she raised a brow as she rubbed her hands up and down her arms. Miri was warm enough but she found that if she kept moving it was a lot more pleasant than standing still. At least the wind wasn't as bad here as it had been on the open sea.

 

[Baise]

Valthar fell into a different kind of silence at the question. It was a question he had asked himself a lot recently. There were many answers. He had come back so that every knew he was alive. He had come back for peace and quiet. Yet those things didn't feel as satisfying as he had hoped. The town felt smaller. His boat felt smaller.

"I did miss my boat," he replied. "And my family. You can meet them too."

Not yet. He wanted Miriel all to himself for some time. He could suffer Brenna's expressions tomorrow. Valthar tied off the boat and took her hand.

He led her up and away from the shore. His house wasn't far. A small, squat stone building with a wooden roof. One floor and just two rooms. There was a fire though and the thick stone kept out the wind.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

Miri's head canted to one side as he hesitated before answering. Perhaps she was imagining but there seemed to be a little tension to his shoulders and something a little... off in his voice. Like it wasn't quite right. Or at least not quite what he had expected. She was about to offer some words of comfort when he changed the topic to that of his family and her whole face scrunched up at the thought.

"Me and families don't exactly get along..." even amongst her own kind. Her people were a lot different to many other elves and when she came across others of her race it didn't always... mesh well. She looked down at their joined hands and smiled as they walked. Maybe... maybe for him she would try. Miri gently bumped her shoulder against his arm and took in the sights as he led her to his home.

She would be lying if she said she wasn't thrilled when she saw the fire and dropped her bag by the door to go drop down in front of it.

"Oh I've missed you," the elf groaned, tugging off mittens to hold her hands out towards the flame.

 

[Baise]

Valthar grinned as he watched her by the fire. She seemed as happy to find the fire as himself, he mused silently. The flickering light danced across her features. It brought to mind visceral memories of the light playing across her skin as she rose and fell. He promised himself that he would warm here up properly in due course.

The fire was a pit with a frame over it to hang a pot. There was a small recess against the wall where most of the smoke rose and left the building. Despite this, there was a haze that clung to the rafters above. The front room was a reasonably open space of bare wooden floorboards, despite being small. A single wooden table for both preparing food and eating with four chairs around it. A tall pile of wood in one corner for the fire.

"Would you like some food?" he asked. He stood leaning against the table, hands placed against it. "There's bread?"

Despite the smell of fish, which was probably quite strong to Miriel's nose, he mostly ate bread, fruit and vegetables through the day.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

"Food sounds great," Miri stood after a few more moments by the fire. She began to peel off her outer clothing she had worn for the frigid cold of the sea as she gazed around his home. A smile tugged at her lips as she took off the mittens first, then the thick fur lined coat. Conscious of space she set them down carefully on top of her bag so it was all out of the way. Next came the three jumpers she had been wearing until she was only in a thin but warm long sleeved tunic that looked as soft as velvet.

She kept on the thicker snow leggings she wore before making her way over to the table to join him, running a hand through her hair.

"I'm surprised to find any vegetables in your house after the way you wrinkled your nose at them down south," the elf jested as she took some of the offered bread and butter and bit into it. "So how was the rest of your journey home?"

 

[Baise]

"They make good stews. As long as there is plenty of meat. It's fruit we don't really eat," Valthar replied. He sighed softly, casting his gaze around the room.

"Lots of orcs along the spine. Went through Belgrath and North. Nothing as terrible as a necromancer. Quite a few orcs saw your axe as the very last thing."

"You know, it's strange seeing you in this world. But it doesn't feel like there's this divide between now and then? I mean like...in a good way."

Valthar smiled, even though he stumbled away what he was trying to say. A concern had grown that after this time then and now would feel worlds away. It felt as if they could have stepped out of her much grander, warmer house and into this one. It filled him with joy, because he wanted to pick up exactly where they had left off.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

Miriel finished up her slice of bread as he spoke. Occasionally her ears twitched as he mentioned orcs or her axe - which also elicited a smile from her.

"I know what you mean," her smile was almost... shy which was an odd emotion for the Blacksmith who had severed the head of a golem with confidence. "I was a little worried you might have had a change of heart over the last few months," she stepped closer to him and ran her hand up his arm slowly. "I'm glad the rest of your journey wasn't as bad as the necromancer there. I wasn't entirely prepared for the thought you might not be here when I arrived."

The thought she would have had to tell his family he had died somewhere between her and the North had been a weight on her shoulders and her heart.

 

[Baise]

Valthar nodded slowly. It hurt to even imagine what that would have been like for Miriel. Brenna would have been devastated. His mother would have collapsed in on herself.

"You still came," he said to her. Those three words carried a great weight. She would have shouldered that burden for him for no benefit to herself.

"You saw Nordengaard? You must have been given a chance to appreciate our country already or have you been shaking so much your vision has been blurred the whole time?"

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

Miri's lips lifted in a half smile at his words. She didn't feel she needed to state the obvious which was that of course she still came. She had needed to know too.

"Hah. Hah," she narrowed her eyes at him playfully before continuing with a grimace. "I did but it wasn't a long stop there. I managed a quick trip to the market to get some more layers before back on the ship. Alliria is a great place to find most things you need but they don't do warm clothing particularly well in the warm clothing department," she had fared much better after she had gotten the clothing the Norden's wore.

"Besides, I promised you could show me around," she popped one of the rare bits of fruit into her mouth he had on the table.

 

[Baise]

It was, he reflected as he chuckled, why he didn't always try for humour. Humour wasn't one of his greatest qualities. It was better reserved for when he caught people out by surprise with it.

"At this time of year its milder inland," Valthar explained. "I've thought of a few places we could see. Maybe stay and get used to the cold a few more days."

With what he had in mind, she probably wouldn't be very cold at all.

"And what of you? Your shop and your horses?" he asked. "There are a few jealous fighters around here who would pay a high price for more axes!"

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

Miriel sat on the table whilst he still stood, swinging her legs a little to and fro.

"Thorlion misses you, terribly," the elf chuckled at the very idea. The winged horse had not been Valthar's greatest friend during their time down south. "No everything went well. All of my foals came on time and I managed to sell them all off before I came here so I didn't have to worry about them going through the winter," which was when horses cost the most in extra stabling and hay. "The forge is doing well too, I've taken on an apprentice I believe you've actually met," Miri mused. She had actually forgotten the two had a connection until just then.

"Her name's Maranae?" They had since discovered she was a chimera of sorts and the girl had been getting better at controlling her powers. "She makes arrows for me now but she loves the foals."

 

[Baise]

Valthar was stunned to silence by that revelation. He had met Mara around five minutes after finding himself in the Summerlands. A child in a woman's body. Not even a woman's body, a regenerating chimera with lethal toxins in her fangs.

She had taken him back to what she had called her home. The laboratory she had escaped from. The stench of death and decay so thick it had almost choked him. Then the bounty hunters had arrived at the behest of her creator. They had convinced one of them to let them go and he had paid dearly for it.

"I am glad she is safe," he said, nodding slowly. "She has not...had the best chance at life so far. The chances of that..." he shook his head from side to side.

"She wasn't following me was she?" he asked.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

"No," Miri shook her head firmly and her hands ran down his arms to his hands to pull him closer to her. Partly because she was cold still, but mostly because she had missed the feel of him. She felt like an opium addict who was getting her first taste after months of abstinence. "She was running, from bounty hunter who wanted her dead. They smashed up the forge pretty good in their fight but all was well in the end," which was code for the bounty hunter was dead and Miriel had made it very clear the girl was under her protection.

Surprisingly, they hadn't had any trouble since then.

"What of you, what fish have you caught since you've been back?" her lips curved into a smile as she tilted her chin to look up at him. It was the only question she could think to ask him about his trade.

 

[Baise]

He smiled back as he processed the news. He felt relief at the end of the explanation, but know that Mara had still been doggedly persued by hunters after they had parted ways didn't sit well with him.

Her next question drew his mind from those thoughts and drew a smile on his face. Mara was safe now and Miriel was here, in his home. It felt as if nothing had changed between them. That was perfect; their parting had been so painful because of how surprised by how strong the feelings had grown between them.

"I have caught many fish, I have been assailed by thoughts and ideas out on my boat that never bothered by peace before, and I have had to tell the story of my journey...fourteen times at the great hall."

He sighed and lifted a hand, threading some stray hairs back behind her ear.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

The last recounting of what he had been up to since being back surprised a laugh out of her.

"We will have to make it fifteen times for I haven't heard it," Miri watched the way his hand nervously pushed his hair behind his ear. It had been a small tick she had noticed before and it felt comforting to know it had not just been a habit of the South. "But... you can tell it to me from the comfort of your bed rather than the hall if you prefer?" Miri raised an eyebrow.

Neither of them had been exactly shy about when and what they had wanted down south and she saw no need to start being prudish up here amongst the bears.

 

[Baise]

Valthar grinned at her suggestion. With his back to his room and the partition walls he stepped away. He grasped the sleeve of her jacket and pulled her after him.

"The story can wait," he replied. "You should know everyone's favourite part is the necromancer, so the number of wraiths you single handedly destroyed has reached a dozen."

His gaze glanced to the floorboards. He would need a bigger rug to place down by the fire to replicate their first evening together. No fire in the bedroom, but plenty of furs. Not that he had any intention of giving the chill air a chance to bother her.

Valthar supposed it had only taken as long as it did to reach this moment because they had been overwhelmed to find one another. Not just in good health, but ready to pick this up exactly where they had left it. It was time to become fully reacquainted with one another.

 

[Míriel Fëanorna]

Miriel had to suppress a laugh as he grabbed a hold of her sleeve and practically pulled her towards the bedroom door. Mirth still lit up her hazel eyes as she followed behind him; it was another thing she could assure herself hadn't changed between them. Another knot in her chest eased.

His comment about the Necromancer did, however, break the dam and make her laugh. Of course in a population of warriors the exploits with the Necromancer were sure to stand out.

"If I had known I was already famous I would have made more of a big deal about who I was," perhaps she wouldn't have been given as many suspicious looks. She managed to kick off her boots in between strides before he pulled her into the bedroom.