This is set right on the borders of Anathema. You could have Ahuli show up in your post if you want. I do want the horse to show up in this thread. Also, PM what sort of thing he would write to her?
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Ayasha tried not to worry too much about Liam, but the longer he was gone, the more concerned she got. She had taken to hanging out at the borders in hopes that he would come riding on Ahuli to be home with her. But she was getting more and more frustrated by the lack of him coming and her horse not coming, with or without her mate. She wasn't entirely sure what she would do when Liam showed up. Because he would show up. Of that she was sure.
Today was no different than usual but she had brought two beings with her, her son D'ryn and her rescued juvenile snowy owl. Her son had come with to see what she did, in case that was what he wanted to do when he was old enough to do so. Her owl was brought with to work on trust and being outside. It helped that she had fashioned a harness to keep Albus connected to her. Bridget was off exploring or something. She believed that her children deserved independence but they also knew to stay within the borders of Anathema.
As she paced the borders with the son that looked so much like his father by her side, her gaze switched between hopeful gazing into the distance in hope that her mate would show up and forlorn glances at the pup that reminded her so much of his father. But she still kept her wits about her, letting her owl alert her to some things, also part of training him to be her scouting companion.
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[html] OOC stuff here....
He knew it was foolish, that Skye would have his head if he got near Anathema. And yet, here he was, on the border where he didn't belong. He wanted... well, he didn't know what he wanted. If Liam saw him, the boy who was once his son would kill him. Of that, Tal had no doubt. Still, the pale D'artisian scholar was here after seeing his former mate in New Dawn. yes, it was probably foolish, when he could have carried on down and at a safe distance between Inferni and Anathema.
A pale horse came galloping by him, lathered in sweat and exhausted. The male jerked back, startled by the wraithlike appearance of the equine. His curious nature got the best of him, and he found himself following the horse, who was clearly running.... somewhere. Tal halted as he saw the horse stop suddenly, trembling and exhausted. It had stopped in front of a pale female.
His ears came back, a sign of his confusion. Ayasha. He wasn't confused as to why she was here, it was Anathema's border he was toeing. But last he'd heard, she had little ones to take care of. His grandchildren. Strange to think he was a grandfather. Very strange. He wanted to run, but as if the thought of leaving had gotten her attention, the snow hued woman looked up, meeting his eyes over the horse's trembling form. He drew in a sharp breath, hoping she wouldn't call for help, hoping she wouldn't call for Liam. He held up his hands to show they were empty, an international symbol of goodwill.
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OOC: I'll have her read the note next post. Also, feel free to PP D'ryn.
IC: Ayasha's concentration was taken from everything else when Ahuli came racing over to her, but without Liam. She gently petted the panting horse and murmured at him, asking where Liam was. He gave a neigh and tossed his head, showing her a piece of paper stuck into the horse's tack. She gently removed it and almost opened it.
But then she spotted a figure beyond the horse's back and outside the borders of Anathema. It was Liam's father and he seemed scared. Ayasha gave Taliesin a confused but friendly smile. She held her letter from whom she guessed was Liam in one hand and the reins in the other, gesturing for D'ryn to come follow her.
As she approached she heard Albus chirp to tell her that he saw someone, which she gave a faint smile about. But she sobered up a little bit. "Hello, Tal. This is your grandson D'ryn Rhiannon. You also have a granddaughter who knows where right now named Bridget. If you're looking for or keeping away from Liam, he's in Michigan right now. I'm not sure when he'll be back. Hopefully this note is from him and explain when he'll be back." Her words about Liam were spoken in a slight rush. But D'ryn looked at his grandfather with curious eyes.
She was speaking, and he felt his heart begin to race painfully. He realized what she was saying as he looked down into a pair of eyes identical to his, into a face that was nearly identical to his father's. he knelt to get closer to D'ryn, who was nearly fearlessly examining him with the intensity that only a youth could produce without offense. His voice was taut with emotion as he spoke. "Mother and Noah told me about them..." That had been shortly before Gemma's attack. He looked down at the boy, D'ryn. D'ryn and Bridget. He'd known their names from his mother, who was thrilled to have great grandchildren. He looked up at Ayasha with an unreadable expression. "I was told they were both beautiful puppies... I told my mother all puppies were beautiful."
His gaze was pulled to the male again, memorizing the boys face, searching for any traces of Liam in his gaze. He wasn't sure how he felt about Liam being in Michigan, nor was he sure he wanted to ask why Liam was in Michigan. "It would be better if he never came back," he murmured to himself, unknowingly speaking the words Liam had written in his missive to Ayasha. His memory flashed back to Gemma's face, remembering the look in her lifeless eyes as she told him she would die.
He mentioned that Noah and Deuce had told him about the pups, and she vaguely nodded. Ayasha had forgotten briefly that the two of them had come to see Liam and the pups. D'ryn stared at his grandfather, and Ayasha nudged her son gently. "Say hello to your grandfather, D'ryn." But while he was doing whatever he did, she gently opened the letter that was attached to her horse.
Dearest Ayasha-
It's strange here. I look at the sky, and now I'm seeing the same sky as you do, and yet I still feel so very distant. I wonder often about you, about Bridget and D'ryn. If you are safe, if you are healthy. Because really, I would have no way of knowing. I never thought it would be this hard to be separated. I never expected to feel so deeply for anyone, really. I miss you so much, at night I'm cold because you aren't here to warm me.
I met someone. Not like you're expecting to hear, though. Taliesin always told me that my mother was dead. I met a woman, Kira Rheams. My mother. She was as strange woman, and yet she understood me better than I did myself. I'm not sure how I feel about her. I just want to find Azza and get this over with. I didn't think to ask her about him. Perhaps I should.
I miss you more and more, Kiddo, and yet I dread the day I come home too. I've done bad things... the further away from you and the kids I am, the safer you are. But your love, it draws me like a moth to flame. I'll come home because of my love for you, even knowing that returning to Anathema will be my destruction. I love you and I miss you so much. Give the pups my love.
All my heart
Loverboy
She wasn't aware that she was reading it out loud, but she was. Yet she jolted up when her father-in-law mentioned that it was better if Liam never came back. She gave Tal a slightly sharp look. "Why?" She was feeling very protective of her mate. Her attention was drawn back to what he wrote and she could tell that he was shaking. She whispered, "I love you, loverboy." She then gave her letter a kiss and turned her attention to Ahuli.
She stroked his mane some as she regarded Liam's father. She could understand, or at least she thought she could, why he was so upset with his son. "I'm sorry you couldn’t meet Bridget. I named her after Liam's sister. She looks a lot like me." D'ryn came over to her and she gave him a gentle motherly smile.
He and D'ryn had bumped noses while Ayasha read her letter. As she finished, she questioned her statement. He stood, brushing off the knees of his carpenter pants before answering her. "I doubt you know about it if you have to ask. And because your son is listening, I'll spare you the details. He attacked my sister, Gemma. He... brutalized her, maimed her. He left her to die. He did this in front of her young children. She nearly died. Aniwaya wants his head. D'Arte and Casa too.
I'm glad that I got to meet D'ryn, at least once. Wish I could have met Bridget too. I hope they take more after you than they do him. And despie what you may think of me, though he is not a Rhiannon any longer, I am pleased to know you gave them the family name. I do hope Rhiannon shines her light on you and the pups, because if he comes back you will need all the light and mercy the Goddess can give.."
He paused, his anger at the male who had once been innocent like his son now was fading again. "I apologize, I shouldn't have come so close to Anathema. I need to return home now."
The fact that Tal mentioned that she asked about it so she didn’t know, Ayasha knew that whatever Liam had done was really bad. And her thoughts were confirmed by her father-in-law's words about Gemma, the woman from AniWaya that could easily have been her twin. Was he rough with the female so he wasn’t rough with her? She had seen a glimpse of that roughness before but hadn’t thought about why he never did it that way again. She frowned and sighed, running her paws through her locks. "Why?" She whispered, not to Tal but to the universe.
Tal started to speak again about how he was glad to meet his grandson and she gave a sad smile, "You may not believe me, but he is really sweet to me and the pups. I love him, no matter what he did or does. Though, I'm not sure how to deal with this news." He essentially gave her and the pups blessings and she gave him a thankful grin. "Thank you, Tal. I don't really believe in any particular deity but I wish that Rhiannon will bless you. I just hope that some point you two will reach an understanding." She didn’t expect the two of them to forgive each other or even be friends, but she could hope for something between them, even if it was for the pups' sake.
He then said that he needed to leave and he should never come here. "I wish that you could stay to meet Bridget. But I understand if you need to leave. Do you need anything before you go?" She wasn’t sure why she wanted him to stay.
He was always sweet and kind to her. A look of pity crossed his face. "Thank you, but Myrddin, my other son, will be meeting me close by. Promise to keep this in mind, Ayasha. My father, Lucifer was a rapist too. And early on he showed my mother nothing but a kind, gentle side. He was good to me and my siblings, Noah still mostly speaks highly of him. And yet Lucifer raped many women, my sister Gemma and my own mother included. And he raped me too. Don't think it couldn't happen to you, D'ryn, or Brighid." His intense gaze softened, and he spoke again.
"I did love Liam, but I can't anymore, not after what he's done to my pack and to my family. But if you or the pups need somewhere to go... My house is open to you. Not to Liam, but to you and my grandchildren." He cast a longing look at D'ryn, and turned away. His life was full of nothing but goodbyes lately, it seemed.
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