Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

The World outside the Grey Tower is a vast place.
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Bella
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Location: New England

Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Bella » July 11th, 2020, 8:42 pm

He listened intently, taking in her words as well as what she felt as she said it. It was something that had spoken of before, to a degree, but this was perhaps the first time it was stated so plainly. He understood, though. There were many folks in the Grey Tower that had families back home that disapproved of their chosen path. Or in the case of some, the path that was chosen for them by the Wheel.

Haeden did not hold it against her.

Lifting his hand, he stroked her cheek and kissed her again softly. "We are the only part that matters," he agreed, his voice a low rumble as he spoke low. His lips still close to hers. "And if you ever feel a longing for a family, I am happy to share mine." One side of his mouth rose in that crooked smile again. "There are more than enough of them to go around."

Alianora
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Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Alianora » July 12th, 2020, 9:43 pm

Liaran Sedai
Liaran smiled and leaned forward for another quick kiss, leaving her arm around him. When she drew back, she looked up and and said, "I won't object, if your family chooses to be so welcoming towards me." Pulling him closer to her, she continued, "In a way, I do have a family. They may not be blood related, but I have the sisters of my Ajah and the whole of the Grey Tower behind me." Her voice turned quiet and serious as she gazed into Haeden's eyes.

"And....I have you. You are as close as family to me, and even more so, I think, because we chose each other. That means so much more than the blood I happen to share with people who don't respect me." Liaran laid her head on Haeden's shoulder, unwilling to let him go just yet. She wanted their short time alone together to last as long as it possibly could.

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Bella
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Location: New England

Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Bella » July 14th, 2020, 9:31 pm

Haeden adjusted his body slightly, allowing him to wrap both long, strong arms around her and hold her close. As he leaned his head against her, his ears still strained instinctively and his green eyes still roamed obsessively to assure that their moment was not interrupted by anything dangerous, or untoward, or by anything at all.

It was still just them, and he allowed himself to revel in that moment as much as she clearly wanted to sit in it as well. "In the Tower and in the Blue, you have a good family." After all, his half-sister was a Blue. He didn't even usually think of Sadira as only a "half" sister anyway. "And in me... You'll have me forever." He kissed the top of her head.

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Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Alianora » July 17th, 2020, 1:18 am

Liaran Sedai
When Haeden let go of her hand, Liaran immediately reached out to lay it on his back. With both arms around him now, she held her Warder as close as he held her. The words he spoke brought a smile to her lips, and she closed her eyes, wanting to make the moment last as long as possible. When she opened then again, Liaran raised her head so that Haeden would be able to hear her. Leaning towards him, she whispered, "And you will have me....we will share the rest of our life." It still amazed her sometimes, how much she wanted that.

Liaran tilted her head back, gazing up at Haeden. She didn't speak again, lacking the words to express the intensity of the emotions she felt for him. They were a blur of caring, affection, and, she thought, maybe even love. Still locked in their embrace, Liaran bent forward to press her lips against his.

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Bella
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Location: New England

Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Bella » July 18th, 2020, 9:02 pm

And so, as much as Bella wanted to just keep writing this pair being sappy forever, she realized that they would never get to all the other things she has planned if she does so... With a weary sigh, she types a small summary about them kissing...and kissing some more before Haeden determined his family may send a search party if they don't get going soon.
"As much as I enjoy this," Haeden finally said, pulling back with a rueful smile, "I fear that my family may send out a search party if we do not return to the road shortly."
Didn't I just say that?
Predictably, Haeden did not answer our narrator, but simply pulled himself reluctantly from her arms to get to his feet--which was rather quite a ways up, all told. He held his hands down to her and helped her to her feet as well, placing a kiss on the back of each before heading to prepare the horses.

Once their things were packed back into the saddelbags, he helped her mount before climbing into his own saddle and smiling at her. "Onward?"

Alianora
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Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Alianora » July 19th, 2020, 9:32 pm

Liaran Sedai
Liaran would have stayed in Haeden's arms forever and been perfectly content with that. However, when he spoke to her with the same reluctance she felt, she knew he was right and that they did need to move on if they were to reach his family by the day's end. She untangled himself from him, brushed off her skirt, and helped pack up what remained of their lunch before putting it away. After that, she adjusted Seawind's saddle and allowed Haeden to help her onto the horse. She didn't really need the help, and wouldn't have tolerated it from any other person, but she knew that her Warder saw assisting her as part of his duty to protect her.

Once she was settled, she looked towards Haeden, responding to his smile with a smile and a nod of her own. "We'd better get going," Liaran agreed. "We may need to ride fast if we want to arrive before dark." That was entirely due to their delaying for so long here, but Liaran didn't regret it. She tugged on Seawind's reins, and then they were on their way again.

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Bella
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Location: New England

Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Bella » July 24th, 2020, 11:08 pm

While Haeden had agreed that they might need to push their speed to reach the manor before dark, he found himself reluctant to actually do it...perhaps because he realized that he didn't really want to arrive.

Why had he agreed to do this again?

Despite those feelings, however, they pressed on and made good time. The weather was clear, and so were the roads. It made for easy passage between where they'd stopped for lunch and the manor of the Ives family. The sun was setting on the horizon as they rode up the long, wide path through a gate between defensive walls that led to a huge house surrounded by fields.

"Master Ives," the guard at the gatehouse greeted. He was an elder veteran and recognized the son of the former lord of the house.

"Hello, Balanor," the Gaidin greeted with a small smile and inclination of his head. "My Aes Sedai and I have arrived at the request of the new lord for his son's naming day."

Something flickered in Balanor's eyes, but it was so quickly that Haeden wasn't sure it was there at all. His grizzled features smiled. "Of course, Master Ives. It is good to have you back upon your ancestral land. Lord Hiron has been awaiting your arrival." He gestured for them to proceed down the path and up to the house. "A stable-hand will come out to meet you to take your horses."

Haeden nodded once. "Thank you," he said, then offered a small smile for Liaran and they rode on.

Once they were out of Balanor's line of sight, Haeden made a quick, slight, somewhat immature expression. "This is why I didn't want to do this," he commented, his voice pitched just low enough for her ears. "All the pomp. It grates on me."

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Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Alianora » July 26th, 2020, 9:37 pm

Liaran Sedai
The rest of the ride was pleasant, and sooner than Liaran had thought, they arrived at the home of Haeden's family. She kept Seawind behind him, staying quiet until Haeden rode through the gate. Then she followed him, returning his smile as she let Seawind speed up until the horse trotted beside him.

She nodded at his comment, understanding what he meant. "I don't like it either," she admitted quietly. "Remember, if you change your mind about staying here....all you have to do is tell me, and we'll leave." Liaran looked around her, wondering if there was any chance of them taking their own horses to the stable as she would much prefer to do. Unfortunately, she saw nothing that looked even remotely like a stable, and as they drew closer to the front door, she saw that the stablehand was already waiting for them.

The Aes Sedai took a deep breath, and by the time her feet hit the ground, Liaran had assumed a calm expression. It was what was expected of her as a visiting Aes Sedai, and more importantly, would conceal any emotions she felt from everyone but Haeden. She handed over Seawind's reins to the stablehand, and once Haeden had also settled his horse, Liaran looked up at him.

With a wave of her hand towards the door, she asked, "Are you ready to go inside?"

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Bella
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Location: New England

Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Bella » July 31st, 2020, 12:55 am

Truth be told, Haeden had too much of his mother in his to ever be comfortable passing the handling of his horse off to another. Of course, the stablehands at the Tower fed and pastured his horse, but he never let them tack or untack for him. Not for Seawind either. Haeden always handled that, and he wasn't any happier than Liaran to pass them over now.

But he was also a pragmatic man. He knew that sometimes, you had to give in on the smaller things to win the bigger ones. Some formalities you could override and others, not so much. The Gaidin knew that you had to give in on the smaller fights so you could more easily win the big ones...and who walked his horse to the stable was not the hill he'd choose to die on this day.

In response to her question, he offered small, wry smile. "No," he said, but that was the precise moment when the gilded double-doors at the top of the stone steps swung open and out came none other than Hiron himself, adorned in finery alongside other less-familiar faces.

"Haeden, my boy, you have come! You have come!" Lord Hiron said in a boisterous way, holding out his arms.

"Lord Hiron," Haeden greeted, bowing his head respectfully--although he never lowered his eyes. "It is an honor to receive and attend your invitation."

Hiron waved a bejeweled hand. "Oh, none of that." As he shook his head, the culturally-familiar bells in his hair jingled. "You are family!" The man's eyes swung to Liaran. "Ah, and who is this beauty?"

The Gaidin raised a slight brow and tamped down a small spike of jealousy, instead smiling and gesturing to Liaran. "May I present to you Liaran Sedai, of the Grey Tower. She is my Aes Sedai." Okay, so maybe a tiny emphasis slipped out on the word 'my,' but he mostly restrained himself. "My lady, may I present to you Lord Hiron Ives."

"Ah!" Hiron continued, smiling broadly. "An Aes Sedai on my very steps! Welcome!"

Alianora
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PC: Liaran Sedai, Blue Ajah
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Re: Family Ties [Attn: Liaran Sedai]

Post by Alianora » August 2nd, 2020, 10:06 pm

Liaran Sedai
When the doors opened, Liaran was grateful for the practice she'd had in pretending absolute serenity. She had not expected Lord Ives to greet them at the door, and was acutely aware that after the ride here, she was not nearly as presentable as she would have preferred to be. The outward calm she maintained was the only thing that kept her from brushing at her dusty dress and tangled hair.

She let Haeden do the talking, since this was his family, while she stood still and listened. The lord seemed very pleased to have them, and she found the exuberance of his greeting a little overwhelming. She couldn't tell just what Haeden thought of the man, but his jealousy when the lord turned his attention to her was unmistakable. It wasn't an emotion Liaran usually associated with him, and without thinking about it, she moved closer to his side. She wanted to take his hand, but feeling it would be inappropriate, forced herself not to move.

Looking up at the man on the stairs, the Aes Sedai gave him the smallest of polite smiles. "It is a pleasure to be here, my lord, " she said, shoving down the distaste she felt for shorebound notions of nobility. Her smile quickly faded, but the placid expression she had assumed remained as she waited for them to be shown inside.

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