Private Tales Wolves At the Door

[Jorg]

"Twenty to start." Jorg countered with a grin, running his fingers over her sides for a few seconds as he pulled her a bit closer.

There were very few instances that he remembered being truly happy. Most of his life he had been chasing one high or another, trying to reach the heights of one thing or another. It had always been in pursuit of life, getting something to give him even the tiniest bit of joy.

Now though...now he'd stumbled into that feeling.

"They'll love you." Jorg assured her. "My mother simply because she'll hope you tame me."

He told her with a slightly wry grin.

 

[Silver Romani]

Every touch he laid on her was both soothing and igniting all at once. She laughed at his words, and let the feeling of happiness and contentment she felt seep into her bones as she rested herself against him, her arms snaking around his waist with another chuckle as he spoke of his mother.. "Perhaps I will.." she smiled..

"But, I hope so.." she answered quietly and bit on her lip in thought for a moment before looking up at him, her chin on his chest. She hesitated as she studied his face, her lips twisted and felt too stiff to open but she managed and still no words came out. Silver gave herself a mental kick and sighed.. "Because I love you." she frowned at how it sounded, but she did. She'd only known him a short time, but it was plain to her that she couldn't bear to think of ever being without him, the thought was physically painful to consider.

She held his gaze, and held her breath with it. She'd never felt so vulnerable in her life, and she bit down on her lip as she waited for his response as her heart pounded against his chest.

 

[Jorg]

"I love you too." Never in a thousand years would he have thought he would say those words to anyone.

It had always been a rather...scary and slightly depressing thought that he might one day have to get married. The idea had terrified him since childhood, and it would have been a lie to say that even for a second he had enjoyed the idea.

Now though?

Now with Silver it really didn't seem all that bad.

His arms wrapped tightly around her, fingers flowing over her skin as a deep breath sank into his chest and he leaned over to smell her hair. There was something calming about that scent, something that...equalized within him. "I'm almost done here."

He whispered.

"Won't keep out a siege ram, but it'll do." Jorg was only one man after all.

 

[Silver Romani]

When he repeated her words it was as if every ounce of breath was taken from her lungs, floating into the air like midnight smoke and suddenly all of her knots felt untied.

Her lips slowly curled as she looked up at him in the silence that fell between them, the slight tickle of his breath expelling from his lips causing her words to stick to her throat, plastering themselves to her tongue and refusing to dispel into the palpable air. She sighed instead and nestled herself into his arms as she'd grown quickly accustomed to. He was her one stable force, her one stability in a world filled with chaos and she'd only just realised how desperately she'd needed that in her life.

Silver had thought she'd experienced 'love' before, before she'd been turned, but this felt entirely different.The feeling was strange; it seemed to stretch throughout her whole body, overwhelming, yet completing. It had no bound nor length nor depth; it was just absolute.

She found it strange – frightening even – how quickly they'd gone from strangers, to her wondering how it ever was that she'd been able to live without him, because now it was unimaginable, and she knew she loved him more than she could ever love herself.. That was how it was entirely different.

Her eyes opened again as he spoke and she smiled at his words, standing up onto her tiptoes to cup his face and steal a soft kiss.. "Alright. I'll leave you to it." she rumbled and settled back down to let him go, grinning to herself as she wandered back inside.

She settled herself in front of the fire with wine and a book she couldn't read, but she supposed she should at least make a start on learning.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg smiled, tracing his hand over her hip for a brief moment before he took a breath and watched her move back towards the Keep.

It didn't take him long to finish up with the gate.

The thing would never be quite as grand as it likely had been at one time, and the only reason Jorg managed to get it even partially fixed was due to the strength granted to him by the wolf. An ordinary man would have struggled to do it on his own. Eventually though he managed to close the Keep once more, heavy wood falling into place and being barred.

His skin was slick with sweat, his muscles tired and sore, but the work was done. It had been something they needed, at least if they were going to stay here for a few days. Taking just a second more to admire his work Jorg smiled, and then headed inside.

He caught Silver by the fire still, walking up behind her and tracing his fingers over the back of her neck. "A bit more safe."

Jorg said quietly, pride clinging to his tone.

 

[Silver Romani]

Her brow was furrowed at the book as he came back inside. She couldn't imagine being able to interpret those symbols and squiggles as actual words and felt a bit hopeless as her eyes scanned over the writing.. Full lips curled, her expression warming with a smile as she looked up at him with a soft sigh. "Hm.. Thank you." she reached up to rest her hand on his arm.

Those wolves would have their scents, it'd crossed her mind a few times that they could be tracked her, and so it made her feel better to know Jorg had made their temporary home a little more secure. "Are you sure you're royalty?." she grinned at him. He wasn't anything like some of the pampered royals she'd caught glimpses of from crowds at all, not that it was a bad thing. She felt safe, and cared for with him, and the feeling spread from her chest and soothed her like a sip of poppy milk.

 

[Jorg]

"Positive." Jorg said as he leaned down and kissed the top of her head sweetly. "Grew up in a palace and everything."

Mallian didn't have a King. His father was named Duke, though truth be told it was the same thing. They were the only city for hundreds of miles, and his authority was absolute. That was why he carried the title of Prince, as confusing as it might have been.

His hand gently passed over her skin. "I guess it's important to remember I spent the last five years as a mercenary."

He mused.

"When I ran away from home I was..." Jorg chuckled as he remembered those days. "Different."

Softer. Much softer.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver's smile grew until her teeth shone at him, her eyes closing as she absorbed the affection from the kiss on her head. She reached up and pulled him down onto the cushions with him, wrapping herself up in his arms and settling down against him.

"I hadn't forgotten..." she laughed under her breath and looked up, grazing her lips across his jaw.. "Why did you run away?.." she arched a brow.

 

[Jorg]

His fingers trailed softly over her skin as he considered for a moment. "No good reason, really."

There was no doubt in his mind that Silver would think his reasons silly, maybe even insulting. He was a child of privilege and immense wealth. Most of his life had been spent with things quite literally being handed to him for no reason at all.

He had run away because...well because it had been boring.

"I wanted adventure." Jorg said with a shrug. "I wanted to experience life, see what else it had to offer."

Of course, he'd swiftly been taught some harsh lessons about life.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver gave a somewhat awkward smile at his answer, fingers trailing back and forth over his knuckles.. "Well, I suppose you found some.. Perhaps, not exactly what you were expecting." she bobbed her head and let out a quiet huff in mild amusement.

They'd come from opposite ends of the world in more ways than one, her life had been anything but boring, and although they'd strived for coin, she wouldn't have traded their way of life for wealth. She'd been happy, before.

"Do you regret it?.." her brow arched, she wouldn't have blamed him if he did. His life would never be the same. For her, at least, she'd found at least one positive thing to come out of her affliction, and she realised she felt perfectly happy again despite it.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg thought for a moment. "Not really."

The year after he had been bitten by the monster had been a nightmare, but he thought himself better now than five years ago. He had been aimless, or rather, he'd been a fool just doing what he had always done and going nowhere.

Now at least he seemed to have a purpose.

"The two years with the Band made me a better person, and since then..." He shrugged. "I haven't minded the curse so much if I'm honest, not after the deal. Even less now."

Jorg smiled and gently squeezed her.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver's cheeks dimpled as she grinned, resting her head back against the crook of his neck. She quietly wondered if she'd ever have found him without being what she was. She doubted it, and she found herself embracing the wolf that little bit more for having led her to him.

"Better person?.." her brows rose in question.. "What were you like before it?.." she laughed, imagining a spoiled and pampered prince.

 

[Jorg]

"Aimless." Jorg said with a smile, trying to think of what he had been like in his younger years.

"Didn't really care about anything, anyone." Everyone had been for his amusement, for fun. He remembered never waiting up for anyone, never making sure that someone was okay after beating them in a joust. Simply...never caring much about anything except for the next bit of fun. "I just chased the next high."

Metaphorically speaking. "I participated in sword tournaments, jousting, races. Brawls."

He shrugged.

"Never did anything that mattered." That was why he had. Not out of some noble pursuit, but simply seeking the next high.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver smiled and gave a slow, knowing nod.. "Ah... One of those types." she teased with a laugh under her breath. "I spent enough time in cities to know that sort. I suppose you had your fair share of women too." she tested and bit on her lip, realising how the question had sounded. "Don't answer that." she smirked.

"I was a little rebellious too for a time, I suppose. I ran away plenty." she shrugged nonchalantly. "My father wasn't the easiest man to get along with." she commented with a huff. "My mother is kind, though."

 

[Jorg]

Jorg blinked, but didn't answer the question. "My parents are both kind in their own way."

He told her softly.

"My father overwhelmingly, my mother..." How did he put this? "She always means her best, but doesn't always translate it well."

She was a tough one in the purest sense of the word. She wanted what she thought would be the best path for her children. For Jorg that would have meant marriage, assuming the throne, and governing as a just and good Duke.

Everything else was simply wrong. "Mallian isn't exactly Alliria. It needs a better ruler than I."

The words seemed to come out of nowhere, but the thought was pulled from the conversation. Another small reason he had run away.

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver let out a husky laugh and nodded.. "Hm, yes I fear I know what to expect from meeting her.. Not many nobles have much love for gypsies I'm afraid. But I promise to try not to put a curse on her." she grinned, and lifted the wine she'd poured to take a small sip, but her nose wrinkled and she set it back down.

"I think you'd make a great ruler.." she commented genuinely and looked up at him with a warm smile, her fingers lacing through his. "You will be."

 

[Jorg]

He shook his head. "I think she'll surprise you. My mother has never much cared for the thought of station. Just..."

How did he put it?

"Just if you're 'worthy' of me." That was an odd way to say it, but it really was the only thing that his mother really cared about. "If she think you can handle and..."

A shiver ran down his spine. "Tame me, she'll love you no matter where you're from."

His mother was rather odd in that regard.

As for him being a ruler? The idea was still not really a welcome one. He crinkled his nose slightly, simply shaking his head at the thought. "I prefer a castle in the woods to a throne."

 

[Silver Romani]

"Wow.. I see.. Well, I'm not sure if I could ever be worthy, and I'm not sure a wolf can be tamed, even by a gypsy.." she grinned and turned her head to nip affectionately at his neck, her fingertips stroking the stubble of his jaw.

"I could certainly get used to a castle in the woods.." she rumbled softly, her eyes dancing with mischief. She'd never imagined any life other than travelling, but now that she'd found contentment, the idea of truly belonging somewhere with someone was appealing, so long as she had the woods to roam.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg let out a short chuckle. "I guess we'll see."

The werewolf said with a breath.

When the Wolf had taken him Jorg had already decided that life...life was not something he could not necessarily control. He didn't think that even if he wanted to that he could choose where he ended up next. For some reason that thought made him remember something.

"If we go back I'll have to teach you a little bit about Mallia." He mused. "That will impress my mother."

Another small laugh echoed from his lips.

 

[Silver Romani]

"I've never really cared about impressing anyone, but somehow the thought of not impressing your mother terrifies me." she laughed quietly.

"So we can add Mallia to the list of lessons, right after shifting, sword play and reading.." Silver smirked, but her brow furrowed slightly as she considered how much of a burden she might eventually be on him and she sighed.

"Are you sure you really want to take me home with you? I'm pretty useless at most things, I don't have anything to teach you in return."

 

[Jorg]

He shook his head. "You're far from useless."

The idea of putting any amount of worth on her was...unsettling to him for a second. The thought of even ascribing to the thought that she had to give him anything in return equally so. Her presence was enough for him in it of itself.

"I want you to see my home." Jorg said as he reached over and gently squeezed her hand with his own.

"Mallia, at least is an easy lesson." He mused. "She is the Goddess of the Wilds."

Jorg pointed to the tattoo on his head. "Most often represented by a Raven."

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver's fingertips traced delicately over the tattoo he gestured to, her lips curling as she lifted her eyes to his face with curiosity.. "I like her already.." she huffed a quiet laugh..

"I want to see your home too.." she agreed with a nod and lay down on his chest, dragging his hand into hers to entwine their fingers.. "Tell me more of Mallia the raven." she smiled and sighed a soft sound of contentment.

 

[Jorg]

Jorg thought quietly to himself for a moment. What more was there to tell? Mallia was a simple god really. According to his people all that she really cared about was the protection of the wilds. It was why the city never really expanded all that much into the jungles.

"It is said she watches over the Wilds." He explains. "Her champions are most often monsters."

Jorg remembered the stories well. "Those who represent her are stubborn, strong, outcast from most of society by their own choice"

He was, of course, entirely unaware that he was describing himself.

"She guides them with a gentle hand. Granting them boons beyond most mortals." His thumb stroked softly over her palm. "There are no monsters in her eye."

That was what his father had always said. "She simply seek a balance."

 

[Silver Romani]

Silver's brow furrowed slightly as her lips curled into a subtle smirk, her thumb brushing over his knuckles as she listened. The similarities were not lost on her, and she couldn't help but chuckle quietly. "So.. You are a champion on Mallia?.."

She sighed in amusement and shook her head. "A prince, and a champion of a God?.. What have I got myself into?.."

 

[Jorg]

Jorg broke out in laughter? "What, me? Champion? No. No definitely not."

He shook his head vehemently.

Jorg had never thought of himself as religious. He believed in Mallia, but really only because he'd been raised with doing so. He was a monster, but he'd never really considered there was any connection to that at all. Silver was the first one who had ever thought of such a thing.

She was also entirely right.

"I got this when I was twenty. It was a dare." He waved. "I'm no Champion of any God. Just a Prince."

He said as his hand wrapped around her forearm gently and pulled her against himself.