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Post by Dream-Lark on Sept 15, 2020 19:30:37 GMT -6
Summary
Set after Chapter 9 Events, Darevan returns for a visit after making his report to the War Lord and Stone Circle  Darevan;War Forged|Raider
The raider clopped down the path toward Gwen's family farm, gemstone hooves occasionally striking rocks with a slight chime. He had been gone several days, enough time to make his report and get cleared for a little time off to recover from the battle with the kirins.
His chest was still bandaged, and while he didn't have his armor upon or even with him, he had saddlebags slung over his shoulder and his war hammer was ever secured at his side. You just never knew when trouble might rear its ugly head.
Darevan hadn't told Gwen that he would be back after his group made their report, so this would be a surprise visit -- he'd found that he couldn't resist the urge to go check on the white mare and her family and property.
So here he was.
Darevan paused for a moment at the end of the lane leading to the house and barn, a hesitation most would never see. Was he going to be welcome? Would Gwen be pleased to see him? He didn't think she'd be displeased, but her quietness and avoidance of his gaze from after the battle didn't inspire him with confidence.
Even so...
The unicorn sucked in a sharp breath and marched forward, settling his body posture into one that said he didn't care what anyone thought. Casual arrogance--his usual social armor.
Steps slowed slightly as he came within sight of the house, taking in all the work the family had been doing to restore the place.
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Post by Waterdrup on Sept 16, 2020 16:20:47 GMT -6
Gwen | Farmer
Nearly a week had passed since the kirins had been storming across the farmlands and although the battle had been brief, the scars were still there. Gwen had managed to guide most of the roots back into the broken earth. While some of the thorny bushes still stood around the perimeter, perhaps as a reminder. Most of those unruly vines had withered away on the mares command though and the remaining brambles where sprouting innocent green leaves.
Spring, her favourite season, had finally arrived. Gwen stepped back to look at the little garden she kept beside the house. It wasn’t much to look at yet. Just some tilled earth, empty support canes and pruned plants. The preparation work was satisfying in it’s own way, and besides, it had been a sunny day. The white mare wasn’t wearing her cloak and with good reason. Dust and dirt blotched her white coat and there were even some leaves in her mane. She didn’t mind. The young mare looked into the distance, where her father and Meuric shared the hard labour of ploughing one of the fields.
Life almost seemed to continue as if nothing had happened. It was comforting, but Gwen couldn’t help and feel a little sad as well. Not a day had passed without her thoughts drifting back to a certain stallion. She worried about Darevan. Sure she’d patched him up a bit before the group left, but she was no healer by any means. Was he alright? Would she see him again? Did she even cross his mind at all? Gwen let out a deep sigh and grabbed a large watering can.
She was just making her way to the small well on their property when her eyes caught sight of someone coming down the lane. She instantly recognized the black and white coat of the amethyst unicorn. Gwen felt her heart leap. With shock? Delight? Nerves? They all fluttered through her as she nearly dropped the watering can. “Darevan?” Without a second thought she called out his name in surprise. Questions stumbled through her head but she couldn’t pin one down so eventually she just smiled shyly and added. “Welcome back.”
Wordcount 363 | Post #1 |
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Post by Dream-Lark on Sept 19, 2020 21:16:08 GMT -6
Darevan;War Forged|Raider
The raider had told himself repeatedly that he had come back to the farm in order to check on its standing and the entire family -- not just someone in particular. Still, he felt immensely pleased that the first equine he should see was the white mare, smudged with dirt from working in the garden. Gwen looked quite shocked to see him, and Darevan hoped it was also pleasure that was registering on her face and not some other, lesser emotion.
He strolled toward her, a grin easily sliding onto his muzzle as she called out his name in greeting. "'Ello there, Gwen," the stallion answered as he stopped nearby, eyes a warmer brown than the dirt she had been busying herself with taking inventory of her, and then the garden behind her and the house. The boards had been pulled down from the windows, and everything appeared mostly back to normal -- only minimal hints here and there that something had happened. They were obvious to him since he had seen the before and after, but others probably wouldn't be able to tell.
"I came back by to check on the farm and see how yer was holding up. Hope ya don't mind," Darevan added, shifting his weight between his hooves. He had noticed the leaves in her mane, and was mightily resisting the urge to pluck them out. Ordinarily, he would as an excuse to get within a mare's personal space...but he didn't want to frighten or overwhelm Gwen until he was more sure of his standing with her.
After all, he'd just shown up out of the blue.
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Post by Waterdrup on Sept 22, 2020 11:59:45 GMT -6
Gwen | Farmer
Gwen was glad to see her name on his lips, but it was still hard for her to hold Darevan’s gaze for very long without feeling… without feeling. Which was impractical to say the least. The insecure mare felt even more self conscious in the raider’s presence. So while he looked around, Gwen tried to subtly wipe the dirt from her knees. Keeping the watering can in front of them as much as she could.
She had recognized that Darevan was just as calm and confident as the other times they met. So the white mare quickly made a mental note that this was likely his default setting. Before she could register anything else, the stallion stated why he was back in the first place. Gwen opened her mouth and then blinked a couple times as realization seeped in. “Oh! Oh of course. Is that part of your report duties?” The young farmer nearly stumbled over her words, feeling her chest tighten as embarrassment washed over her. Of course he was here to check on things, what else? She almost physically shook her head as she cleared all the other silly thoughts and sobered into seriousness.
“We haven’t seen anything unusual since then, ehm, I don’t think our neighbours have either. Things have gone back to normal.” Gwen quickly assured the raider, frowning a little as she thought. “Should we have kept the bramble wall? Do you think there is still danger from kirins?” Her eyes shifted to Darevan’s chest, noticing the new bandages there. She bit her lips as the worry resurfaced. Though, the fact that he wasn’t wearing armour should be a sign things had calmed down. Right?
Wordcount 280 | Post #2 |
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Post by Dream-Lark on Oct 5, 2020 14:39:02 GMT -6
Darevan;War Forged|Raider
The raider felt a moment of surprise when Gwen assumed his visit was part of his duties. Then again, of course she'd assume that -- it had definitely sounded that way hadn't it? And he hadn't really given her any reason to view this as...as what? Technically, this would be a personal visit, since it wasn't part of his official duties, and that fact had really just been made clear to him. Weight shifted from side to side a moment as he thought about that, before focusing instead on the words being spoken.
"Well, I am glad to hear there hasn't been anythin' unusual," Darevan replied, though he couldn't suppress an arrogant laugh at her earnest question. "Nah, we beat 'em good and sent them packing. It'll take a while for them to get back to their lair, report, and send anyone else back. You'll be fine, don't worry." A reassuring, cocky grin curved his lips as he said the rest. "Besides, I've seen ya work yer blessing. You could have that wall back up in no time at all, if ya wanted."
He could see the white mare was biting her lips, worried and fretting. So his last words were meant to distract and reassure her. Maybe get a smile or laugh? To further draw her mind away from the events of the battle, chocolate covered eyes dipped down to the watering can she carried, then over to the garden where she had been standing when he arrived.
"So what are ya messing about with over there?" the unicorn inquired, resisting the urge to voice the little pet name that sprang to the tip of his tongue. No, he definitely didn't want to offend her, he was trying to be on good behavior.
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