In the castle [Central Lands]

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage24] あ

Inoita closed her eyes and sensed where her family was before she entered her fathers mind and spoke softly. ”Adda, I’m home again. Tell maman to not worry and I will be up to see you two as soon as I can.” her voice gentle as she spoke to her father’s mind, trusting him to sooth her mother’s fears. She smiled slightly as she walked towards the training grounds and her nephew’s location. She kept her eyes closed as she walked trough the gates like it was nothing, frowning slightly at the lax security around the castle as she walked towards the barracks. The amethyst hued eyes opened slowly as she watched the young elf’s training grow more feral before her eyes before she spoke up. “If you let your emotion guide your blade when it is of anger and worry it will strike astray.” She said gently as he leaned towards the wall, not commenting on the uttering of her once name or the apology. He mauve eyes glittering with the giggle she didn’t let past her lips as she looked at the young man she knew she shouldn’t see, but she had to, her emotions for him shouldn’t punish the rest of the family. It was her burden and punishment to bear alone.

 

[Monique2426]

[x]

Monique & Owen

Owen smiled. "Good to have you back lass " He said before telling his wife of his new revelation.

⋘Erendriel Cunningham⋙

Her voice. Eren turned to look at her. There she was. As beautiful as ever. Without warning, he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her silver hair. Even with them both outside in the wet and ice. Eren held her tightly against his chest. He needed her. "I missed you..." Were the only words he could manage to say

 

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage あ

Inoita carefully wrapped her small arms around the young elf that held on to her. “I missed you too Erendriel” She spoke softly. Her eyes closed slightly as she took in his scent, memories and feelings she was trying hard to supress surged forward. “I’m sorry I left like I did.” She said softly, barely a whisper into his ear.

 

[Monique2426]

⋘Erendriel Cunningham⋙

Erendriel shuddered as he felt her arms around him. Her soft voice in his ear sent sensation down his spine. "You dont ever have to apologize to me. I'm just glad you're back." Eren finally pulled back to look at her. He smiled at her amethyst eyes and tucked a wet silver hair behind her ear. Gently, he leaned down and kissed her cheek. "I should be a good knight and take you inside, but I'm a selfish man." Eren whispered in her ear. Long gone was the boy who had waited so patiently. Something in his voice told her so. Before her now, stood a powerful man who would do anything for her. Eren looked into her eyes. "I wish I could express to you, how much i missed you. Words would not do it justice." He whispered to her.

 

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage あ

Inoita looked at the young man in front of her before she pulled from his hug. “There are few things that words can do justice Erendriel. And even fewer that should be addressed. Such as the longing I feel for you when we are apart.” She said a hint of sadness in her voice before she looked up to the castle. “Sadly, young knight I shall have to leave your side and make my humble self-presentable to your king and queen. I shall hope I will leave the queens side still alive and not scolded like the little girl I feel like right now.” She did a weak attempt on masking her forbidden thoughts and feelings with a lame joke. Even if she knew she was going to be reprimanded by her mother for disappearing like she had, yet again, she really needed to remember to send the generic I am well letters to her mother.


 

[Monique2426]

⋘Erendriel Cunningham⋙

Erendriel nodded slowly. Wait. Did she just admit to wanting him when they were apart? He felt a small smile creeping into his lips. "It would seem so." Gently, carefully Eren planted one last soft kiss on Inoita's cheek. "I will come to you tonight then. We can...catch up." He whispered into her ear and gave her hand one last squeeze. "And when I run out of words, my patron goddess..." Eren winked at her and snapped his fingers. She would appear in her old bedroom. It was left just as she had kept it except fresh clothes were neatly laid at the foot of the bed, waiting for her.

 

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage あ

Inoita shook her head at Erendriels antics before she got ready to face her parents by taking a hot shower and getting into the clean, dry clothes. Taking a deep breath, she shifted herself to outside the conference room doors before she knocked. Inoita suddenly felt nervous as she waited for her parents to call her in, she had broken a promise to never leave like that again and worried them she knew she was in trouble even though they never would punish her for it.


 

[Monique2426]

[x]

Monique & Owen

Slowly the door opened. A servant was the one to open it. At the table sat the high king and queen. Both turned to look at the door as Inoita came into view. Owen smiled some, but there was a look in his eyes that told he was worried about something. Monique looked to the servant and the poor man shuddered in fear before he quickly exited the room and closed the door after ushering Inoita in. Monique looked her daughter over once before she stood and walked over. Owen was right behind her. Monique sighed when she saw the girl. "So you decided to return? It would have been nice to at least know you weren't abducted or taken against your will." Her words were meant to come out stern, but instead sounded watery as if she were going to cry. "I know you get overwhelmed here, but...I thought things were getting better. I thought you would at least have contacted us once to let us know you were alright." She shook her head and sighed. "I'mglad you're safe..." Monique finally said. She looked tired and thin as if she lost a significant amount if weight in the absence of her daughter. Owen gently placed his hand on his wife's hip, sending gentle yet subtle caresses to her senses."Welcome home, lass. Stay as long as ye need." He said softly. He was not one to nag his children. Monique did enough of that for the both of them. Instead, he offered patience, wisdom, and stability to the situation. "Will ye be needing any help with anything? If you're hungry ye can have a snack while we have something prepared for ye."

 

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage あ

Inoita looked down at her feet. She then spoke up with a low voice “I’m sorry I left like I did Adda, Maman. I got a lead on where my son was located and just had to see him. I should of course had let you know and not left without my guards. Or for so long.” Oh how she knew she was in the wrong, she had caused needless pain to her mother and father and caused them to worry unnecessarily. Inoita bit her lip before she looked up at her parents knowing it was only part of the truth of why she had left but she would never be able to tell anyone the other part. She looked from her father to her mother before she smiled slightly. “You both know I can never stay away from home for too long. All though I am aware I should had let you both know I was leaving and why. And sent Maman letters about my wellbeing.” She said softly before she moved in and sat down. “I could use something warm to drink. The weather is not nice.” She spoke softly.

 

[Monique2426]

[x]

Monique & Owen

Owen knew his daughter. She would have left to go see Aefir,
but to stay away for months? Knowing her daughter was pregnant? Something else had to have happened or kept her away. Owen nodded, but gave her a look that told her he knew she wasn't telling the whole story. "Of course, lass. Here." 0Owen poured her a cup of tea and sat down. He wanted to understand her. Was it the letters? "Your mother just worries a lot over you. You received a few letters in your absence. Come to my office and retrieve them when you're ready." Monique took her tea and sipped it slowly. "How is Aefir? Even when we saw him last, he didn't look okay. Is he safe?"

 

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage あ

Inoita sighed before she sipped her tea. “I don’t know maman.. whenever I got to close he slipped away. I dropped the chase near our neighbouring kingdoms.” She said silently. She was genuinely worried about her son and his behaviour. She looked to her father and smiled slightly “Of course Adda, but you know I will probably burn the most of them as they most likely are marriage proposals.” She said with a face. Inoita really didn’t want to get married again, she feared she had missed her daughters bonding already it made her sad to know this. “So how is my siblings holding up? A news? More babies to spoil? I’m scared I will be a bad grandmother. Even though I have the best grandmother and grandfather I know off to look to for help.” She said wanting to catch up on if something had happened in the family.

 

[Monique2426]

[x]

Monique & Owen

Monique looked to Owen. They both exchanged words without speaking aloud before finally looking back to Inoita. "Kimmi is doing well. Isabelle is getting bigger every day. The twins are...busier than usual, so no children from them yet as far as we know. They took their wives and went underground for a bit until they can figure out who it was that attacked right before you left. They think it was an inside job. So we have reduced our staff quite a bit and kept most of the family close. We weren't sure if you were the actual target or if they wanted someone else in the family." Monique sighed and sipped her tea. "Eren is now a commander of his own squad of knights. Evie is...to herself more these days. She only goes to class and then disappears. Several of us have tried to reach out to her, but she just recedes further into her own world." Monique rubbed her temples, her fox tail swaying behind her in an aggravated manner. "Because of how tense things are lately, we have closed the borders. If merchants come through, everythingis thoroughly checked through security several times along the roads."

Owen walked behind his wife and put his hands on her shoulders, gently rubbing the spot between her shoulder blades where she carried most of her tension. "Most importantly, everyone is safe for now. That's all that matters. Lass, go rest." He said softly. Owen smiled down at his wife and kissed her forehead before she ported away. Then he turned to his daughter. "Lady, ye know ye canna hide the truth from your Adda." He said with a wise smile. "What really kept ye, lass?"

 

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage あ

Inoita bit her lip before she looked down at her hands. “When I got ill.. Aefir kept bringing me medicine.. I felt weird taking it..” she began before her shoulders sagged. “I needed to clear my head.. his disappearance and my recovery.. it’s all too much of a coincidence Adda. If my son is guilty of treason I want to ask him directly.. get an answer from him.” She said silently tears starting to form in her eyes. “I can’t put the rest of you in danger, and not my sweet little ori or her baby..” she drifted off a faraway look in her eyes as the tears started to fall. She felt so helpless and little, not like the patron goddess of this country she had created to keep them all safe. How she had failed with all of this, so long had passed she doubted her family remembered the outside world at all anymore. and she couldn't tell them where she really went during her long journeys. That she ventured outside of this no longer safe space she had created for them. Something had invaded it bringing imbalance and evil she tried to find out who or what each time she left.

 

[Monique2426]

[x]

Monique & Owen

Owen walked to her and bent down so he could look her in the eyes. "Ye did nothing wrong, lass. I understand he want to find the answers for yourself, but dont go risking your life. We dont know the whole truth, but if something were to have happened to ye while you were gone, we wouldnt have been able to forgive ourselves. Our job as parents is to protect our children. You're still my little girl." Carefully, he wiped the tears from her eyes with the pads of his thumbs. "If Aefir was behind this, then I'm sure he would have tried again. If he still has the same intention, then he will try again. I am hoping that the next time we see him, it is in peace." Owen kissed her forehead. "We will get to the bottom of it. For now, just enjoy being here with us. Take some time for yourself while you visit."

 

[Atnima]

あ Inoita Savage あ

Inoita leaned into her father’s touch and smiled slightly. “I know I will always be your little girl Adda.” She said gently. “And we both know maman’s grey hairs is from worrying over all of us, not only me.” She continued in a more teasing manner. Looking up at his face she thought once again how all she ever wanted was to keep her family safe. “Adda, I…” she broke off before she spoke silently. “How many letters are there really? How many from the far east?” she asked, knowing what most of the letters from the far east would contain. “Would.. would you and maman hate me if I married, not out of love but duty?”