guardians

Sirius Revlis · 01-13-2012, 12:57 AM

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Wordcount: + 1164

The woman's blue eye - for Alaine could only see one, amongst the locks of well-groomed hair that sat well about Mab's stately features - seemed to scour each of them in turn. Although willing to impress as she was, the Winters matriarch felt a surge of righteous pride within her; Her family was the most precious, most perfect thing she had. They were the result of a long heritage, made from the clay and stone of these cliffs, given breath by the wild Irish wind and beauty by the silver river that meandered through Airgid Gleann. They were the people of the Macha Tribe, blessed by the three faces of Morrigan, and by nature they were a proud, wise bloodline. So whilst the strangers watched them, and whilst she sought their approval, Alaine did not forget herself and fall into doubt. The smile on her beautiful face was natural, and welcoming.

She watched Mab's eyes linger on Elijah as her son moved obediently to gather their horses, and felt deep within the familiar stirrings of protectiveness and worry. Alaine adored her son - Along with Cern, he had filled the void that Caillen had left beneath her breast. However, more than that, the need to defend him before all other came due to his wrongness; She had always feared for how the outside world might condemn her son for his difference, and her love for him had stretched to accommodate that. Her love would have to make up for the rest of the world.

Initially, the Winters family had viewed Elijah with a mixture of apprehension and joy. He was a boy, a true-blooded heir; And yet on first observation, he was tainted. However, after some time spent with him, it was clear that the wrongness could be more clearly seen as a series of Dea-blessed gifts - The boy had perfected the art of mimicry, and was known to replicate the sounds of mornings birds almost to exactness. Because of this, he seemed to have an uncanny gift with creatures of all kinds, but especially horses - Nana continued to dote on the boy as though he were, in fact, her own offspring. But more than that, it was the gradual realization that Elijah was harmless that had settled them into full acceptance. Aisling had taken quite the shine to her cousin, and frequented his company. The two of them were often seen together, with the younger, morose form of Cern trailing afterward.

Finally, the eerily powerful gaze of the one-eyed woman settled on her, and Alaine squared her shoulders gamely. Her ivory fingers fiddled uneasily, a pair of doves unable to settle. When the woman spoke, her voice was unlike anything the Winters matriarch had heard ; Floppy ears rose immediately to graciously listen to that compelling, authoritative tone. Mab's voice was laced with a power that the woman immediately associated to Triad-dome - She had heard Eira use a similar tone when conducting prayer, or such. It was the voice of someone who could see through the thin film of realism, and beyond it, to the depths of truth and perception.

Her introduction seemed long-winded, and many of the titles and words she used were lost on Alaine, for there was no comparable translation. However, she nodded and smiled politely, bowing her head to Draco as he, too, was named. At Mab's latter words, emerald eyes turned round, and pleasure shone visibly on the face of the younger woman. She already thinks of us as family? A deep sensation of reassurance settled in her stomach, heightened as the Marquise settled her hands over Alaine's, stilling their nervous motions. One of the Winters woman's ivory hands rose to gently clasp the other's, and her smile was startlingly youthful, offering a glimmer of the beauty that a younger Alaine had held.

"We are truly blessed to welcome you to our humble hearth, mistress," Her polite reply was followed by a backward step, and aware that they were about to be introduced, the Macha tribe's attention became rigidly polite. Alaine had schooled them well enough to know that propriety was most welcome in this instance; Even the children maintained a decorum of polite stillness. "Here is my sister, Eira - She is the Triad of our tribe, the spiritual leader, if you will..." At her voice, the dark-haired woman with eyes almost identical to Alaine's raised her hand, palm facing outward, in greeting. As each family member was introduced, they did likewise - Save Cern, who merely peered warily around from behind Gabriel's legs and wagged his tail. "… -the boy who took your horses is my middl- My eldest son, Elijah. He has quite the way with beasts," Her accented voice was unable to hide the slight edge of wariness as she spoke tenderly about her son.

Lastly, she moved from Mab's side to Gabriel's. "This is my mate, current Headman of the Macha, Gabriel - Your nephew of sort, I am told, mistress," Her emerald eyes lifted to those of the dark man, and her expression melted into one of utmost adoration, the truest and deepest of loves. It, too, was quickly masked by a more polite expression, but the warmth still lingered in her forest-green eyes. "If you will allow me, ma'am, I would show you to the parlor. Our maid has a nice pot of tea awaiting us there, where we may settle in warmth. Please, follow me," The ground outside was still hard with frost, and clumps of snow lay in scattered white about the roots of skeletal trees. Guiding the small gathering inside, Alaine closed the heavy oakwood doors at their backs, and then ushered Draco and Mab down the corridor to the large room at the back of the house. Mrs Potts had laid out an old silver tray, on which was a large cauldron-like pot with a lid on top. Steam curled fingers from around the metal. About it were four wooden mugs, each many-faceted and showing how masterfully they had been carved; They had initially been smoothed with the scrubbing of stones and large, granular sand, and had since been worn smoother by the passage of many hands.

Alaine lifted the lid on the pot and dipped each mug into its contents, retrieving a dark, sweet-smelling mixture. It was a traditional black tea, steeped with exotic bergamot oils and smoky pine nettle, producing a warming and flavorsome concoction that Alaine favored before any large meal. Passing out the rustic wooden cups, the Winters woman then gestured for them to take a seat on the long wooden lounge or chairs, each heaped with various softened pelts. Taking a seat across from the pair, she waited for Gabriel to do likewise before speaking. "I trust your trip was uneventful, dearest Mab? The weather here has curbed itself for your visitation, it would seem - I feared a snowstorm would catch you on your travels here!"

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