Topic: Homecoming...

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-27 15:28 EST

"Mother will certainly be happy we're back," Bryce said with a boyish grin. He and his father, Triv, had been exploring southern Exodii for many years now, a father showing his son the ways of the world. Each had earned several new scars, including one that ran from Triv's right temple down to his jaw line.

Triv smiled, happy to see his son so excited and glad the boy would get the chance to catch up with his mother. Triv, himself, had mixed feelings about the reunion with the mother of his son. He had spent many sleepless nights in his bedroll wondering what it would be like to see her again. He still remembered coming back to Dar Oma with Bryce and Dwyndan to learn the woman he loved was engaged to another man. And he remembered the wedding. Triv spat and swore to himself for the millionth time that if he ever ran into the bastard that left Sha'uri standing at the altar, he'd separate the man from his spinal column.

Bryce, ever the intuitive one, noticed his father's sour look. "She'll be happy to see us both, I bet."

"Only one way to find out," was Triv's only reply. Alex, Bryce's older brother, had been able to send the two messages concerning the current location of the citadel through a device that Triv wasn't sure was magic or technology. The two had observed the attacks on Exodii city and made haste to return and hopefully help defend their new homeland. Triv took a deep breath, mentally preparing himself for the reunion, and started toward the citadel. He had to smile, though, imagining what Sha'uri's reaction would be to seeing both of them as they were. Dirty from travelling hard trails, their clothes and armor coming apart at the seams. Bryce still wore twin long swords on his back, though now both handles were wrapped in black leather. He had previously worn one with black and one with blue to symbolize his two fathers but after that fiasco with Galen, he didn't want anything to remind him of the man. Triv just had the one long sword on his back and a dagger at his belt, having never mastered to art of fighting with two weapons of equal length.

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-28 05:57 EST

"It's a shame Dwyndan isn't coming back with us," Bryce said in a subdued tone as they neared the citadel. Dwyndan Cohath, an assassin and good friend of Triv's, had helped Bryce free Triv's soul from his gemstone prison thereby allowing Sha'uri to resurrect him back in Dar Oma. The assassin had met up the Triv and Bryce after they left the citadel to go exploring. Dwyndan lost his life in a fight with some orcs, the same fight Triv earned the scar now adorning the right side of his face. Bryce had been knocked unconscious and Dwyndan was able to hold the orcs back long enough for Triv to drag his son to safety. The elf was successful in distracting the orcs but gave his life in the process. After licking their wounds, Triv and Bryce had shadowed the orcs for many days, using guerilla tactics to pick them off a few a time until no more of that tribe fouled Exodii with their presence.

Triv nodded. "He went down fighting. I don't reckon a man can ask for more than that."

Bryce just walked in silence for a time. He knew his father well enough to know what he was thinking. Triv was mortal and getting old. Bryce knew Triv was wondering about when his own death would come and if he'd get the chance to die well, as Dwyndan had done. Bryce studied the citadel. It truly was a beautiful place. "It'll be good to be home. I think it might be time for me to settle down. You know, find a woman and start a family. What about you? Are you going to stay?"

Triv smiled. "I would like nothing better than grow old here. Maybe bounce a few grandchildren on my knee." Triv shook his head. "If this place turns out to be the home I've been looking for..." He shrugged. "Who knows? But it seems fighting is all I've ever known. Your mother gave me peace for a time but somehow war found me. I'll stay long enough to see what those attacks are about and help if I can but after that..." Triv shook his head again.

Bryce glanced over at his father. "What if Mom asks you to stay?"

Triv laughed at the idea. "Why would she do that? So she can watch me die...again? I'm sure she's moved on and even if she hasn't, I wouldn't want to put her through that again. I'm mortal, she isn't. It's just not meant to be, son."

Bryce sighed. "I guess you're right. But don't you think you're getting a bit too old to be running around picking fights?"

"Oh, I'm getting old, alright," Triv said with a grimace. "The pain in my joints is enough to remind me of that. But I'm not completely useless just yet, young'un. Your old dad still has some fight left in him, don't you doubt."

"That you do," Bryce said with a smile. "Remember that hill giant that thought two ragged travellers would make a easy meal?"

Triv clapped his son on the back. "Oh, how he howled when you slipped behind him, slashing his hamstrings."

Now it was Bryce's turn to laugh. "And when you leaped onto his back, stabbing him in the neck. I wouldn't have thought you could still move like that, old man."

"Hey," Triv said. "This old man can still put you on the ground, pup."

Bryce scoffed. "Keep dreaming, grandpa."

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-28 15:53 EST

Triv didn't know exactly how old he was, though he figured he was in his early forties. A life of fighting in one war or another had aged him beyond his years and there was more than a little gray in his rust colored hair. He had what he figured was arthritis, a dull ache accompanied by stiffness, in his knees and fingers. He wondered how long it would be before he would unable to so much as hold a sword. He shook those thoughts from his head. "Won't it be nice to have a warm bath and a warm bed where we don't have to set a watch?"

"Aye. A hot meal and cold tankard of ale to go with it. Yeah. I think from now on I fight only in the defense of Exodii. No more looking for something to fight. No more sleeping on the cold ground wondering what's going to sneak up on me in my sleep."

"Well, if you're anything like your old man, the only thing bothering you in your sleep will be some pretty little lass." Triv winked at his son and punched him in the shoulder.

Bryce laughed. "One can only hope. What about you? There might not be any hope for you and Mom, but there are plenty of fish in the sea."

Triv smiled and shook his head. "I don't know what a woman would want with a worn out old warrior like myself. I'd be content to spend the rest of my days sitting by the fire carving toys for all those grandchildren you're going to give me. Maybe even get myself a good dog to keep me company."

"Sounds terribly boring." Bryce glanced at his dad. He knew Triv still loved Sha'uri and probably always would. He also knew that Triv would never want to put her through what he did before, which was only a matter of time. Bryce sighed and wondered what it would be like to be without a father again. The two had grown close in their time spent exploring Exodii. Triv wasn't only his father, but his friend as well. "You know, there are Healers and Doctors in Exodii City. I'm sure they could have you running around like a spry young colt in no time."

Triv laughed. "Wouldn't that be a sight?" He shook his head. "You can't fight the passage of time, son. Everything grows old and dies so that new souls can take their place. It's the natural order of things, the circle of life." Normal people might've found this kind of talk depressing but not Bryce and certainly not Triv. When you've faced Death as often as Triv, he kind of becomes like an old friend. Generally speaking, the Way of the warrior is resolute acceptance of death.

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-28 20:13 EST

Alex heard the signal he had not heard in several years. At first his brows furrowed as his gaze scrutinized the device for several moments until it dawned on him what it was for. It was the one he programmed, tied into the com badge he'd given them, to alert him should his half brother and his father came back into a certain area around Exodii City. That's how he knew in a short time they would be there to the Citadel.

He didn't know the two very well, but he knew what it would mean to his mother, thus he did his best to contact her and was almost to the point of just going there to get her when her voice came through on the other end, finally.

"Yes Alex?"

Her voice came through the comm system clearly, all the way from RhyDin thanks to the satellites they'd put in.

"I think you need to come home, Mother. Now."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, Mom.. Something is right. You need to come right away."

"What is it?"

This time, her voice wasn't coming from the com system in the console in front of Alex... it was coming from right behind his chair. He nearly flipped the chair as he stood up and turned abruptly.

"Mother! Knock or something first!" he was laughing, though.

"Sorry. So what's so right that you have to have me here now?"

"Come with me..."

Alex took her to the front doors and opened them up, pointing out the opened doorway.

She gave him an odd look, but shifted her gaze that direction nontheless. Her heart nearly stopped and her eyes misted with tears. A few hundred yards down the road, coming through the portculus of the Citadel grounds, was Triv and Bryce. She was happy and relieved to see them both alive. There were no thoughts of guilt or the past, just the gladness of their return. It was like watching a part of her come home.

"Oh, Triv! Bryce.."

She whispered and teleported to within a few yards. She was so happy she couldn't say a word. Misty eyed, she held out her arms to them both, closing the distance between them to hug her son first. It was a hug a mother would give her child after being seperated a long time.

Alex thought about having someone transport him to the others, but decided it was better he give them some time as he walked slowly towards the three.

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-28 20:34 EST

"Gah..." Triv was struck speechless by Sha'uri's sudden appearance.

Bryce, more accustomed to things like that, just grinned and moved forward to embrace his mother. "I'm home, momma. I've missed you." He held on to her for several minutes before pulling back. "Dad has missed you, as well."

"Sha'uri..." Triv moved forward and hugged the woman, though perhaps not as tightly and not quite as long as his son had done. "It's good to be back. Oh...Looks like we've gotten you a little dirty. Sorry about that. We saw the attacks and didn't stop to clean up on our way here.

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-28 20:50 EST

"Dad has missed you, as well."

"I've missed you both."

That was apparent in her hug and kisses to dirty cheeks. She honestly had no thought, nor care, for the filth. It was never noticed until after she hugged Triv and his remark brought her attention to it. She peered down at herself, never quite letting go of Triv all the way as she assessed the proverbial damage... and just smiled, mirth twinkled in her eyes.

"I don't care about the dirt, Triv. It can be washed away and I can replace the dress if it doesn't. I can't replace either of you."

She blinked back tears threatening to spill over the rim, her voice a bit thick with emotion.

"Please tell me you're both home to stay?"

Alex drew closer, enough to hear his mother's voice carried on the wind.

"I'm here to stay, gods willing," Bryce said. He glanced at his father wondering what he would say.

She couldn't take her eyes off Triv. Though she heard Bryce's answer and was ecstatic he was going to stay, her attention was on Triv and his answer. She couldn't take her eyes off him, waiting in suspended anticipation.

This time, This place
Misused, Mistakes
To long, Too late
Who was I to make you wait

For a moment, all that guilt came back to her, of how she gave up after his death believing she might not ever see him again, had fallen for another and given her word to marry Galen. She'd given her word, her stupid sense of honor only to have Galen leave her in the middle of the ceremony, spiting fire upon the holy ground of the Brotherhood of Light. He spat on her honor and might as well have spit in her face. She'd lost face that day... Had she really expected Triv to be there? waiting on the side to put her back together?

Just one chance
Just one breath
Just in case there's just one left
'Cause you know,
you know, you know

He'd been a true friend, had understood. She was hurting in so many ways and she felt his leaving with Bryce was the answer to kill so many birds with one stone. Part of her wanted him to stay then, but most of her wanted to find the deepest pit to hide in and fade away from existence.

In a way, she wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to stay, if he couldn't forgive her.. she needed to be forgiven. She needed him to stay.

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore

((words in green italics are lyrics from the song *Far Away* in the album *All the Right Reasons* by Nickleback))

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-28 21:07 EST

Triv smiled. "There's no place I'd rather be." Now that he was here, now that he saw her, all doubts fell away. Even if they were only meant to be friends, he knew he'd never be able to leave her or Bryce.

To Sha'uri, it meant he'd forgiven her. Right? She needed to know.

I wanted
I wanted you to stay
'Cause I needed
I need to hear you say

"What's been going on here, Mom? As Dad said, we saw the attacks and we came to help. Is everyone okay?"

Alex was close enough by now, just a few paces away. He could see it between them and moved to intercept his brother from the barrage of questions to his mother. It was obvious to Alex that she needed to be alone with Triv. Though Bryce was a couple of inches taller and probably outweighed Alex by at least fifty pounds, Alex put his arm over Bryce's shoulder, spoke quietly and guided him towards the Citadel where it was warm and cozy and....

"Welcome home, little brother... I'll fill you in on all the details. Everyone is okay, but the villain is not gone. And.. we have a new sister, adopted. Her name is Tina...."

"What about you, Sha'uri?" Triv asked. "Are you doing all right?" He'd learned from the few messages Alex had been able to send that Sha'uri had taken that business with Galen pretty hard, and who wouldn't? He knew she'd had it pretty rough when it came to romance. First that business with him, and then when it looked as if she had moved on, Galen tore her back down. Again, he wished he could get his hands on that cowardly excuse for a man.

((words in green italics are lyrics from the song *Far Away* in the album *All the Right Reasons* by Nickleback))

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-29 16:53 EST

She nodded, understanding his meaning.

"I'm fine. I have learned that I don't die so easily. And thankfully, because then I would've missed Bryce today... and you."
That meant something.

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I forgive you
For being away for far too long

"How about you? You've got some new scars."

Mirth twinkled in her eyes, looking to see if he remembered when they showed off their war wounds and told stories about them until they were both quite bare. That was the first night she'd spent with him all that time ago in Dar Oma. She reached up and gently stroked the new scar, open for his answer.

"Want to tell me a story?"

((words in green italics are lyrics from the song *Far Away* in the album *All the Right Reasons* by Nickleback))

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-29 17:31 EST

Bryce allowed his brother to lead him away giving a sideways glance at Triv and gave him an almost imperceptable nod. He knew his father would see it and understand.

Triv saw the nod and indeed understood his son was giving him his blessing and wishing him luck. After fighting so many battles together where there wasn't time for words, the two could read eachother's body language so well it might seem like telepathy.

He turned his attention back to Sha'uri. No, he hadn't forgiven her. There was nothing to forgive. It was understandable that she had been vulnerable. He wanted to tell her that she had no reason to feel guilty. But how?

"How about you? You've got some new scars."

"Yeah. I must be getting slow. Didn't get out of the way fast enough." He too remembered that night. "I've got several new scars and stories to go with them all." Her hand on his face sent a shock down his spine. Was there still a chance for them? Or had she moved on for good this time? He had to know. "So...Is there a man up in that citadel wondering why you're standing so close to a road-dirty, sword-carrying half elf?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-29 18:41 EST

Her lips broke into a smile as she shook her head.

"You're not old, Triv... maybe aged a few years, but haven't we all?"

She did look a few years older, into her thirties now. Triv wasn't the only one who aged.

"As for wondering men... Well, maybe there are a few of my guards atop the towers with phaser rifles aimed your way incase the dirty halfelf decides to be ruff."

It was said nonchallantly though she was teasing. They were up there, but the rifles were all slung over shoulders as only a few of the men were only generally gazing that direction. In no way did they seem alarmed.

With a wink, her demeanor changed, became serious as she shook her head again. Yeah, she wanted another chance.

"Seriously, Triv? Not a one."

Then a grin eased in. She let her hand trail down from his cheek to his shoulder. Her hand gently squeezed the muscles, still as strong or stronger then she remembered he was.

"They really won't care what stories the dirty half elf has to tell me. They wouldn't care if he touched me, unless he hurt me but somehow I doubt the dirty old half elf would do that....They won't even care if he picks me up and carries me in through the front door, up the stairs and down the hall to the left, last door on the left, took me in, shut the door and locked it. It wouldn't even bother them if the bathwater was started, or strange noises filtered out... you know, from telling stories? Nope, I really don't think they'll mind at all. No, actually they might just cheer him on.."

Was that enough of a hint?

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-31 10:04 EST

Phaser rifle? Oh, yeah. Bryce had told him about such things during their travels. Triv had trouble imagining something that allowed you to kill your enemy instantly from hundreds of yards away. A cowardly weapon, he decided. No honor in it. And who were these soldiers that carried weapons like that? He reckoned you didn't need to be very tough to use a weapon like that, physically or mentally. He wondered how many of them knew how blood smelled. Or what it was like to wander off a battlefield, you whole body covered in the blood of your enemies...

He sighed inwardly and shook the images away. It seemed the battlefield was constantly trying to sneak through his defenses.

"They really won't care what stories the dirty half elf has to tell me. They wouldn't care if he touched me, unless he hurt me but somehow I doubt the dirty old half elf would do that....They won't even care if he picks me up and carries me in through the front door, up the stairs and down the hall to the left, last door on the left, took me in, shut the door and locked it. It wouldn't even bother them if the bathwater was started, or strange noises filtered out... you know, from telling stories? Nope, I really don't think they'll mind at all. No, actually they might just cheer him on.."

He grinned, all thoughts of war and death gone from his head. "Is that right?" He slid an arm around to the small of her back and pulled her up against him, kissing her long and hard. "Hmm...What do ya say we see how well you know your soldiers?" He kissed her one more time before putting an arm behind her knees and lifting her off the ground. Again, his lips found hers as he started walking towards the front door, hardly paying any attention to where he was going.

Shauri · Date: 2007-01-31 15:59 EST

She melted with that kiss and felt as if on a cloud when he lifted her up and kisses her some more. He wasn't the only one unknowing where they were walking as she was wholely and intently upon the feel of his arms and sensation his lips had on hers, fingers into his hair and she didn't even notice the wall to her back when he slowly walked them right into it, not hard, but their progress to the door was thwarted.

Some of the guards were heard chuckling and calling down at their leader about getting a room ... or Nice Entrance .. among others. She didn't notice.

Trivial · Date: 2007-01-31 18:33 EST

Triv's mind was a whirling torrent. Everything was lost in the kiss. Who, what, where, why? None of that mattered. All that mattered was her. He did, however, have the presence of mind to give the guards a surreptitious thumbs up behind Sha'uri's back. A guy thing, he reckoned. It took him a few moments to realize they had stopped moving. He opened his eyes long enough to notice the wall at Sha'uri's back. He spoke between kisses.

"You.... wanna.... lead the way... before.... these guys... start... selling....... tickets?" His lips moved down to her neck so her lips would be free to answer.

When he and Bryce first arrived at the citadel, he thought all that remained of his feelings for Sha'uri were a few wayward sparks. He marvelled at how little time it took for those sparks to ignite a raging fire.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-01 15:05 EST

"You.... wanna.... lead the way... before.... these guys... start... selling....... tickets?"

Bubbly, throaty laughter began to emerge from her throat until about two motions of his lips down her neck, which made her shudder and moan with pleasure.

"Oooohh... God! I can't think... we're .. oh...no.. not gonna make it up there."

She giggle and tried peering around to see where the door was, and it was right there to Triv's right, but she was too focused on what he was doing to say where. She even tried lifting her hand to point, but couldn't get herself to piont the right way.

Never mind the raging fire, what he was doing to her was going to cause the volcano to errupt. It had been too long and what she had only been too afraid to hope for was coming true so quickly.

Alex nudged Bryce as they had gone inside and were in the recieving room. He pointed towards the front window where he could see his mother being manuevered to the wall beside the window. He moved closer to the window to get a better view.

"Why doesn't she just teleport them to a room? Well, Brother Bryce.. You don't think they missed each other, do you?"

He had to snicker and then activate his comm badge.

"Arrowny to Transporter room. Lock onto Sha'uri's comm badge. There are two to beam directly to her private quarters here."

"Aye Sir!"

A fragment of a moment later and the two reunited lovers were transported up to Sha'uri's private quarters. Without the wall there to support, they suddenly began to fall......

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-01 15:32 EST

"Why doesn't she just teleport them to a room? Well, Brother Bryce.. You don't think they missed each other, do you?"

Bryce laughed. "Looks like my dad works fast. Or Mom does." He shook his head. "And he was worried." He laughed again when he saw them disappear. "That's going to give him a heart attack. He's not used to things like that."

Triv's reflexes took over as he felt himself falling and he twisted to land on his back, pulling Sha'uri around to land on top of him. "Unfff! Bloody hell....?" He took a moment to look around and realized they must be in her quaters. "You should warn me before doing stuff like that." He grinned and started kissing her neck again trying to elicit another moan. "You... said someting about.... a.... bath?

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-01 15:51 EST

"That'll give him one?"
Alex seemed surprised, though grinned.
"And he's with our mother.... and that doesn't worry you?"
He laughed and nudged Bryce.
"Come on, there's a cold ale in the kitchen area with our names on it, I think. Are you hungry?"

Sha'uri sounded like Triv's echo as they were transported in and landed with a roll of position switching.

"What that... Nine hells.. grr...."

"You should warn me before doing stuff like that."

Blink! She laughed then.

"What?! But I.. it wasn't mmm!"

Effectively cut off, she went with it for a few moments until she finally was able to push away a little and sit up a bit. Her fingers fumbled with his attire.

"Bath... yes... Computer, start bathwater and make it into THE Pond."

Water was heard running in the next room, like a waterfall splashing into a pond. Sha'uri started to get frustrated with the buckles and loops. She leaned down and let out a teasing grrr to his ear and a quick nibble before she got up.

"I can't get 'em. Sorry... Don't be long, love."

With a spritely smile and shrug of her shoulders, she turned, began to strip tossing her clothes to the floor on her way to the other room...

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-01 21:35 EST

"That's a good point," Bryce said. He licked his lips at the mention of ale. "Aye, I could eat. Maybe later we can all get together and have dinner?" He smirked. "If we can get those two out of their rooms, that is."

It took him a minute to realize that she didn't have a servant named 'Computer' but was talking to a machine of some sort that apparently controlled the rooms. What will they think of next? Triv grinned as he watched Sha'uri undressing and sat up to pull his boots off before working on the various snaps and buckles that held his armor on. Plumes of dust rose as he dropped his armor and clothes on the floor. "I guess it's a good thing you're not very adept at taking a man's armor off."

Removing his shirt revealed an assortment of scars crisscrossing his chest and abdomen. Small puckers of scar tissue from arrow wounds and larger ones from spears. Thin lines from swords and wide gashes from axes. Most of them she would've seen before but there were some new ones, too. He unbuttoned his pants and hopped around to pull them off before following her into the other room.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-02 16:15 EST

The entrance to the room wound s-curves past a couple of tiled walls until it opened up into what seemed like a large open outside area. The sky was sunny, the air was warm like a typical midsummer day and it was in the middle of a forest clearing. In the center was a pond with a waterfall at one end. The pond was a good twenty by thirty yards or so.

In truth, it was a holographic room no bigger then about twenty by twenty feet.

Sha'uri made her way to the edge of the pond which was lined by tiled cement as if the pond was a huge bathtub. There was a natural flow to the edge giving smooth curves and strange angles round the perimeter. Below the water was a ledge around most of it to act as a bench for those wanting to just sit and soak. She sat down on this, sinking into the very warm water and resting her back against the smooth rounded surface behind her.

Steam rose from the water like whisps of smoke twirling round as a wind gently blew them across the pond.

As Triv was presumably taking off his clothes, she had a moment to let it all catch up to her and just... breathe. She needed to calm down, her heart had been beating so fast.

Then tears began to mist her eyes... happy that Triv was home again and yet sad for all the time that had gone by without him. And where they doing the right thing now?

His footfalls drew her attention to him, sapphire hues took in the sight of him, puckers of scar tissues and all ... even all that dirt. She scrunched her nose but smiled and knew that even though he would not live as long as she, there was no other place she'd rather be then back in his arms. It would hurt to lose him, but she'd rather lose him to a death then by watching him leave again. She wanted to make the most of what time they could squeeze out of fate.

"Ewwee! Yeah, bath time for baby... Hop in and I'll scrub you clean."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-03 11:56 EST

Alex nodded.

"That would be the plan... though I'm not going to hold my breath on those two. They'll probably be up there for days."

Alex laughed.

"In the mean time we'll have lunch, I'll show you to your room so you can clean up and if you feel up to it, I'll show you around the place some before dinner."

After a few turns down one hall then another, they finally came into a large kitchen area with one table set up buffet style of an assortment of foods, and another bigger table set up for seating. The main cooking area was at the other end. Alex picked up two plates and handed his brother one.

"Help yourself."

Alex went down the other side of the table picking small portions of a little of this and that. His plate wasn't hardly filled, none of the portions touched each other. It spoke of his meticulous nature. He sat down to the nearest seat, bowed his head, eyes closed and began to pray silently over his food for a few moments before he opened his eyes and began to eat.

"So, little brother..."

He paused to chuckle.

"Honestly, it's nice to say that I have a brother. Tell me, how was your journey? Where did it take you? What did you find? Did you make any maps? Establish any contact in cities to the south that we could possibly follow up on? It must have been the adventure of your life, to be out there with your father. I envy you of that. I never met mine. The closest thing to a father figure that I had was my uncle Bazil and he was hardly around. I haven't seen him in a long time."

A group of guards, three men and two women, came into the kitchen area, went through the line behind the two brothers and sat down a few seats away from them. They were wearing dark blue shipsuits, which didn't look like armor at all, heavy boots and black jackets for warmth. Two carried phaser rifles and the other three had composite long bows. Each also carried a sword of some sort and a survival dagger.

They all gave polite nods to the two brothers, but it didn't seem as if anything was said, though Alex touched their minds telepathically letting them know just who was with him... and with his mother. Grins and smiles passed between them as they all diverted their attention to their food.

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-05 10:54 EST

Triv barely noticed the wonders surrounding him as he neared the pond. His eyes, dancing with the first real joy he'd felt in a long time, were completely focused on her. The way she smiled and scrunched her nose made his heart do cartwheels. He knew they'd have to face the reality of their situation sooner or later...but not today. No, right now he just wanted to hold her and he pushed all thoughts of the future out of his head.

A contented sigh escaped his lips as he slipped into water. It'd been a long time since he'd had a warm bath. He slid all the way under the water to wet his hair and let the water carry away the dust as he pushed back up until the water reached his chest. "Ahh..You have no idea how good that feels."

Triv slid his arm around Sha'uri and pulled her close. His green eyes met hers and he could see everything he ever wanted in those sapphire hues. To say that their reunion went beyond his expectations didn't even scratch the surface. Despite his best efforts, though, the fact of his mortality kept tugging at the back of his mind and he knew it was no different for her.

"Sha'uri...I know this isn't easy for you but no matter what happens, I want you to know I never stopped loving you. Just... Just promise me you'll always remember that."

Bryce took the plate and went around the table piling food onto his plate, trying to get a little of everything. When it was obvious the plate couldn't possibly hold any more food, he took a seat across from his brother and immediately began eating as it was his custom not to give thanks until after he ate. He wasn't messy, but he ate quickly and efficiently. Halfway through his plate, he finally slowed down enough to talk.

"The journey was good and it was nice to catch up with my father. Though, adventuring isn't as romantic as a lot of people think. Mostly just weeks and weeks of mind-numbing boredom punctuated by a few minutes of abject terror, destruction, and death." He grinned. "It was fun, though." He took a few more bites before continuing. "Father kept something of a journal, I think. He probably has some maps and notes in there but I can't say for sure."

He gave the guards a deep nod when they came in, a show of respect between fighting men, and went back to eating. He noticed the grins passed among the guards and raised a questioning eyebrow at his brother. Was he missing something?

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-05 16:55 EST

At the angle he was at when he surfaced, her legs went one to either side of him, arms wrapped round his neck as Triv pulled her close to him, her bum end on the edge of the bench. She smiled more, that heart of hers skipping a beat at the feel of his skin against hers.

"Sha'uri...I know this isn't easy for you but no matter what happens, I want you to know I never stopped loving you. Just... Just promise me you'll always remember that."

She nodded,

"I know. I've always known it's just.. I have been such a fool to think I could ever find or have.. what could never be with anyone but you, Triv. I'm sorry I messed so much up before. I just want to make the most out of the time we have now. I feel you do too. I never stopped loving you, either. And now that you're back?"

Her lips pressed to his while her thoughts caressed his mind.

~I love you even more...~

She wondered if he remembered the times they used to go swimming, breathing in the water, staying on the bottom of the pond exploring the habitat or... each other. Slowly she leaned more into him, as if hinting that direction.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-05 17:46 EST

Alex smiled. Bryce wasn't missing much, just comments about their mother both teasing of her and genuinely pleased of her happiness.

"Adventuring, Scientific Exploring... sounds sort of similar. Sometimes it's really boring taking tricorder readings of the soil or extract core samples from the glaciers. Other times there's so much excitement especially when the wildlife visit you during breakfast, it's coming out of your arse before you've even finished reaching for a phaser rifle. Course, if you came face to face with a Tracer Beast who suddenly appeared in your face and wanted your egg sandwich, you'd understand."

His emerald hues shifted to one of the others.

"Right Mick?"

The largest guard, apparently Mick, grimaced at the apparent memory, but smiled with a nod none the less. He gave a simple nod and went back to his meal. Alex gazed back to Bryce.

"I'm sure he'll get even with me later. They're a good crew, these Citadel guards. We've got a few hundred in number, which may not seem much but each person is worth twenty or more of an average warrior. Few make it through to the end of training .. maybe 1 out of a hundred make it. But when they do, they're like family, loyal and trustworthy. We train them hard and thoroughly. We train them considerately. I would trust any of them with my life."

Alex was thoughtful.

"Now that you are home, what will you do Brother? Will you stay and join up with the Citadel guards? Or, is it RhyDin that you seek to be nearer to. Mother is a teacher at the Ravensheart School for the Gifted there in RhyDin. It's run by our Grandmother's first husband, Briarius Ravensheart. He's a good man, though a bit.. different from most. You'll see, I'm sure."

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-05 20:46 EST

Triv's hands found her bottom and he pulled her against him. He moaned against her mouth as his tongue probed hers. Every muscle in his body throbbed with passion. There would be no backing off this time, no pulling back. He wanted her, completely, with everything he had. He held her tighter and all thoughts of their surroundings left him. He didn't notice when his feet slipped out from under him. Nor did he notice the water covering his head as the two slowly slipped under the water...

As he finished eating, Bryce leaned back in his chair and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "Dad might be interested in joining the Guards. You should see the way he fights, Alex." Bryce smiled proudly. "You don't learn how to use a sword like that. You're born to it." He glanced over at the phaser rifles carried by the guards. "He might have a problem with those rifles, though. I'm afraid he wouldn't even know which way to point it." He laughed and shook his head. "Poor guy... How about it, Mick? Think you could teach an old mercenary how to use the latest tools of the trade?"

"Personally, though, I'd be interested in hearing more about this school. I'll fight to defend Exodii if it becomes necessary but I'd be perfectly content to spend my days teaching young men the finer points of combat magic. Maybe even meet a nice young woman to keep me warm at night, eh men?" He shot a grin towards the group of soldiers.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-05 21:47 EST

It was like old times again. She felt everything, didn't hold back, as she felt them go down into the warm water. The two could breath just fine, effected by her ability. She went crazy, though ... so intense, more then she ever remembered it being until the two were sated ten times over it seemed .... clinging to one another as they fell asleep, rocked by the gentle lap of water created by the waterfall. Time had no meaning.

*******

Alex grinned and threw a napking at Bryce.
"Mom would thwap you if she were here. Use it."

Mick nodded to Bryce with a smile. He seemed to want to say something, but he just looked to Alex first as if asking some silent question. Alex nodded.

"Mick wants to talk to you, but you need to keep an open mind. He's mute."

And then Bryce felt the psionic nudge and heard the voice that was otherwise silent.
~I can teach just about anyone. If your father is as good as you say, maybe I can learn from him, too. I'm always looking for ways to improve. It would be my honor to help your father, and to learn from him.~

Alex offered,
"You could probably go to the school if you wanted Bryce. Briarius is usually around somewhere. You've got a couple of options on how to get there. There's a portal in Exodii city, right in the middle of town, inside a huge barn like warehouse. Just ask around they'll show you. It'll take you to our shops in RhyDin. We don't have one in the citadel yet, that is next weeks project. The school is at the southern end of town. Just ask around, most everyone knows where it's at. Or, I could take you if you wait an hour or so. There's a load of things I need to take the shuttle craft in to RhyDin, so you can hitch a ride to the stores there with me. I won't be going to the school, though. I have to unload and reload and bring it back before dark. Fair enough?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-06 19:32 EST

Triv slept...

Bryce smiled sheepishly and used the napkin to wipe his mouth and hands. "Sorry. Not much use for napkins on the trail. Perhaps my manners will come back to me before long, though."

A mute? Thoughts of Dwyndan flashed through his mind for a second before he pushed them away and allowed the guard to speak to him telepathically. He nodded. "You have my thanks. He'll be happy to have some fellow soldiers to hang out with." He grinned. "Just don't go easy on him because he's involved with Sha'uri."

He looked back to his Alex. "Thanks for the offer, Brother, but I think I'll hang around here for today. Maybe get cleaned up and get to know the citadel a bit better." He looked down at his tattered clothes. "Say, you don't happen to know where I can buy some new armor, do you? I'm afraid this set might be beyond repair."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-07 16:16 EST

Sha'uri cuddled...

Pulling Triv's arm over her like a blanket, their legs entwined as the two naturally moved into the spoon position. She peeped one eye open and the thought of spending too much time there, getting all pruney, nudged her awake long enough to teleport them to the bed. A cantrip was used to dry them and pull a blanket over them and she settled once again. It was good to hear him murmer in his sleep, the sound of his voice comforting to her, lulled her back to sleep and back to the soft sighing of utter contentment....

Mick gave Bryce a firm nod, a wry smile tugged his lips. He'd give Triv a proper welcome later.

Alex chuckled,
"Don't worry about that. When it comes to training, nobody is to hold back, except to refrain from killing or maiming. I'm sure your father won't be bored training with Mic; niether are slouches with the sword. I might even place a bet."

He looked at Bryce's attire, the ragged edges frayed by hard over use.
"I won't argue with you on that one, Brother. It's the garbage heap for that one. We'll get you replacements from the armory, and clothes, too. You'll need something to put on after your bath, I'm sure."

Emerald hues gazed in the direction of the food tables, now that his plate was finally empty.

"Oh... fresh apple pie with melted cheddar atop. Best stuff in the world. You up for desert or would you like to go now?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-07 16:47 EST

Something was tickling Triv's nose. He stirred, trying to get it to go away but it persisted. Slowly, he opened his eyes and Sha'uris raven locks filled his vision. He blinked a few times and looked around. They were in a bed, bone dry. His eyes settled on Sha'uri, cuddled up against him. A smiled bloomed on his lips as he brought a hand up to push her hair back so he could plant a kiss on her neck. "It wasn't a dream."

"Yeah," Bryce picked at a stray thread. "The trail has not been kind to my wardrobe. If we had stayed out much longer, I think we would've ended up in animal skins.

He looked crestfallen at the mention of apple pie. "I..forgot about desert. I'm stuffed but you go ahead. I'm in no hurry if you aren't. Perhaps I'll have a snack later." He wrinkled his nose. "But really, Brother. Cheese on apple pie? Have you always been so odd?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-09 14:45 EST

"But really, Brother. Cheese on apple pie? Have you always been so odd?"

"Blame it on Mother...."
Alex chuckled and clasped his brother on the shoulder.
"Don't worry, it'll still be here later. They are made fresh every day. Let's get you cleaned up then."

He picked up his dishes, stood and walked over to a table marked *Dirty Dishes Here*, setting them down with the other collection before he continued out the door. Then he walked Bryce to the armory to gain another set of armor and a pair of clothes for Bryce. Nothing was charged and it was clear that nothing ever would be.It was for use by Citadel personnel and, of course, Arrowny Family.

When that was done, they walked back to the main entrance and up the stairs, left turn down the hall until they came to a bedroom with Bryce's name on it. Alex stopped there and looked at Bryce, lifting a hand to indicate his brother do the honors of opening his own room.

Not much had been said as they moved through the place, but if Bryce hadn't figured it out by now, or remembered, he would once he went through that door. It was Bryce's old bedroom from when he grew up. Not much had been changed in there. The rest of the Citadel had gone through some cosmetic renovation though the basic layout remained almost the same. Almost. There were still a few differences as some rooms were joined to make another bigger or others made slightly smaller to accommodate added hallways. Odd, though, as Alex sniffed the air, picking up the scent of meat cooked on a grill... He dismissed the thought of it as nothing.

"After you. I'll need to help you adjust the computer to your voice recognition so you can use the facilities."

**********

Unknown, unheard and unseen to all, from a place in the realm of the heavens, two pair of eyes watched over the sleeping pair in Sha'uri's room.

"It was long overdue." a male voice.
"Aye, t'was at that. E'eryone should be given a chance at least once in their life." a female voice thick with accent.
"They are, just not everyone takes it."
"A shame it ne'er last long."
"Some do, just not as intense. Anyway, you lost, you cook."
"Are ye sure ye did nae influence 'im?"
"Not one nudge. Not on him. No."
"Oi? Hey now, who 'ave ye been nudgin?"
"Well, you didn't specify not to on anyone else."
"That's cheatin."
"You're still cooking."
"Aye, but that's still cheatin."

Suddenly, the table in Sha'uri's bedroom was filled with the feast of hero's, food from the Gods to nourish, heal, protect from poisons for hours and give rest as if one had rested a full night. Grilled meats, cheeses, fresh vegetables and fruits laden across the table with breads, wine and ale in seemingly endless supply.

**********

"It wasn't a dream."

She heard Triv's voice and felt his scratchy shadow beard on her neck, which tickled her awake with a soft giggle. She turned round and rubbed her nose to his.
"You need to shave."

The scent of grilled meat caught her attention, made her mouth water.

"Food?"

She shifted to sit up a little and dropped her jaw at the food laden upon the table. Flames flickered in her eyes, searching for the source, until she felt the familiar signature. She had a feeling she knew who left it. It almost didn't matter, the food made her stomach growl and she realized she could probably eat half of what was there.. i.e. she could eat a horse.

"I don't know about you, but I'm starved."

And she moved for the food...

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-10 08:06 EST

Bryce placed his dirty dishes on the table next to his brothers and followed him to the armory. He selected a pair of sturdy black pants, a dark blue shirt, and a pair black boots like the ones the guards wore. "I'll get the armor later. It'll take time to go through and find some that fits right and allows me to move freely and I'd really like to have a bath."

As they arrived at the door marked with his name, he nodded at his brother and opened the door. He smiled. "Just how I left it, eh?" Everything was exactly how he left it. His old shortbow and a quiver of arrows still hung on the wall where he'd put them when he had graduated up to the longbow. The book he'd been reading, Off the Map: A Guide to Wilderness Survival, still rested on the table next to his bed.

"I'll need to help you adjust the computer to your voice recognition so you can use the facilities."

He laid the clothes on his bed. "Right. How do we do that?"

*************************

Triv scratched the stubble on his chin. "I thought you liked the rugged..." The smell of cooked meat filled his nostrils. He followed Sha'uris gaze to the food on the table. "What kind of place is this?" He rolled of the bed and followed her to the table. It'd been a long time since he'd had anything to drink but water and he went right for the ale, taking a long swig before starting in on the meat and cheese. "Mmm...My compliments to the chef." He ignored the vegetables for the most part, though he did try a few grapes. "This kind of thing happen pretty often around here? Not that I'm complaining."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-11 18:55 EST

"Right. How do we do that?"

Alex opened his arms.
"Simple. Computer, establish voice recognition for Bryce Rowan Arrowny and authorization for level 4 parameters."

"Authorization code to commence with order please."

The voice seemed to come from some obscurely located speaker, sounding from everywhere in the room and yet no particular point. It was one of the upgrades in Bryce's room, along with a small replicator and holographic type bathroom area.

"Alpha sixty, Zeta nine, Omega three. Alexander Finar Woodshadow-Arrowny, Ops Commander."

"Authorization acknowledged. Commencing voice recognition parameters for Bryce Rowan Arrowny, subject please state your name and desired authorization code numbers for Alpha, Beta and Zebra. No more then three digits are to be used with each."

"You need to say, Alpha, Beta and Zebra before each number you pick. It sets the password code, so remember it. That way, you can have the computer keep a journal for you that only you can enter, or secure your room. You'll need that code for it. Otherwise, this will just give the computer recognition to your voice to take other mundane orders from you, like change the scenery of your bathroom or get something to drink out of the replicator, among other simple things. You don't need authorization codes for that, just an established voice recognition. There are some places you won't be able to get into, like operations areas. That will come in time as you get used to the place. It's not a lack of trust just that we want you to be ready when you do gain that much access. There is some training involved."

Alex offered the advice and let Bryce finish with it. When all was established, he gave a cordial nod.

"I need to load up the shuttle and go, Brother. If you need help finding something, you can ask the computer for directions or ask any of the guards. There is a training holographic room with a program designed to help teach you how to use the room. Just ask the computer to run program Intro Training 101. The room can be used for a number of things beyond sparring. It's really limitless."

He clasped Bryce on the shoulder, gaze intensely genuine.
"I'm glad you are home."

With a nod, Alex left Bryce in his room.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-11 19:26 EST

"I though ye said I was cookin?"
"Not if you accuse me of cheating."
"Brat. Of all the things 't get me 't ...."
"Oh hush! It's only dinner..."
"Oi now, see? Brat. I swear ye'll do anythin 't get me 't.."
"Hey! That's it! Run!

The conversation between the two faded, along with them.

Sha'uri ate a variety of the food, gazing thoughtfully up at the cieling every now and then, as if seeing beyond the confines of the building. In fact, she was. The food had been given by Corellon, but there was no mistaking the other presence nearby. She sensed her mother and the emotion welled inside. Tears misted her eyes a bit and she turned away from Triv, hiding that fact. How could she tell him?."

"This kind of thing happen pretty often around here? Not that I'm complaining."

She shook her head.
"No."

Triv's timing couldn't have been better, or worse. She couldn't hide her emotion from her voice. Brief as the word was, her voice still quivered a bit. She reached for a glass of wine to down the contents. There was so much she needed to tell him, she didn't know where to begin.

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-11 20:44 EST

Bryce grinned at Alex and punched him in the arm. "C'mon. Don't get all sappy on me now, Brother. But it's good to be home." He sighed after Alex left and looked around his room. "Home," he said to himself. A plank of wood hung on the wall caught his eye. It was about 2'x2' and had concentric rings painted on it in red. A small throwing-knife was stuck in the center ring.

Bryce pulled the knife out of it and walked to the other side of the room before spinning quickly and launching the knife towards the board where it struck the center ring with a resounding THUNK. "Damn, I'm good." He smiled. Alright, he thought, bath time....

*********************

Triv took another swig of ale. Man, that's some good ale, he thought. He was confused as to where the food came from but he supposed it didn't matter. Interesting things were always happening around Sha'uri, it seemed. He heard the emotion in her voice and cocked an eyebrow. He knew they had a lot to talk about and he hoped there wasn't anything she was afraid to tell him. It wasn't as though she could make him mad. What right would he have to get angry over something she did while he was gone? After all, he had left her when she probably needed him most.

"If there's something on your mind, you can talk to me about it. You don't have to worry about me getting mad or thinking less of you because of something you did while I was gone. You know that, right?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-12 15:09 EST

Alex didn't show it in front of Bryce, but the punch on his arm had hurt! Of course, Alex wasn't exactly the tough kind but he held the pain back all the same. He knew Bryce hadn't meant to hurt him. Bryce was just a lot tougher physically then Alex. Still, Alex was very glad to have his brother home even though his arm was gonna hurt for a while. He didn't rub it until he was well on his way down the hall from his brother's room. He smiled though. He'd get even with him later, and that was nice to think about...

"If there's something on your mind, you can talk to me about it. You don't have to worry about me getting mad or thinking less of you because of something you did while I was gone. You know that, right?"

Sha'uri winced at this a bit, thinking he was referring to the time when he died. But it became obviously clear he'd meant nothing facetious. ThAt had been in her own head. Her gentle voice was soft, yet deep.

"We.. we do have a lot to talk about."

She took a deep breath and sighed gently. So much emotion... and his bare physique wasn't helping her concentrate on what to say, either, but she couldn't hide the smile that kept tugging at her lips over thAt distraction. She grabbed a bundle of grapes and sat down in the chair next to him, pushing aside those feelings, reigning in her emotions to be a bit more logical.

"The food came from Corellon, God of the Elves. He is whom I serve as Priestess. But ... I know my mother was with him. I felt her there. And, I just miss her a lot. She's evolved to something of a higher order. She does not exist as you and I do and she is not quite as strong as Corellon, but she has a place among those of his stature. Do you understand what I'm saying?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-12 15:49 EST

"Ah." Triv took one of grapes and popped it in his mouth. "Yeah, I remember you talking about him. You know, from before..." He thought of Dar Oma, then. Would things ever be like they were then? He took a sip of ale and brought his thoughts back to the present. "Bryce has had some... contact with him. Corellon is not fond of orcs, is he?"

Triv had never had much use for the Gods. He preferred to think he was in control of his own destiny and didn't care for the idea of someone watching him like a bug in jar all the time. "So, you're mother is a goddess now?" He wanted to tell her that he understood that she missed her mother but then, he didn't really understand. He hadn't known his own mother so there was nothing to miss. 'Mother' was just a word to him.

"I guess it's normal for you to miss your mother but at least you know she's watching over you. I never had parents but Black was like a father to me. It wouldn't surprise me if he was up there watching my back and making sure I don't get myself killed." He smiled remembering his old friend and trainer.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-12 16:11 EST

"Bryce has had some... contact with him. Corellon is not fond of orcs, is he?"

Sha'uri laughed, after she spit out the grape she just popped into her mouth.

"Oh hell no! You should see how red he gets in the face just thinking about Gruumsh.... the One Eyed god of the Orcs. He's one eyed because of Corellon. So, Bryce has met Corellon? That's interesting. Core never mentioned it."

She knew how Triv felt about the gods, but that was his perogative to feel that way. In a way, he was right, they were falible as any mortal could be. Still, they were stronger, more powerful beings with life long granted or immortally so. That had to mean something, right? That had to demand some kind of respect...

"Course, he doesn't tell me everything and really next to nothing at times. He can be very confusing. But I do trust my soul with him. He has guided me with the love of a father and given wisdom from beyond mere mortal views. I couldn't turn away from that."

"So, you're mother is a goddess now?"

She nodded with a shrug.
"I don't know what else to call it. Her existance isn't like ours and there has been a cult developing here on Exodii that follow her, revere her as one. If that means she's a goddess then yes, she is."

She munched on a grape for a little bit, then blurted,

"I adopted a daughter. Her name is Tina and Briarius has adopted her as well."

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-12 16:37 EST

"Ah. Yes, it was an Eye of Gruumsh that gave me this," he ran a finger down the scar on his face. "Right before I cut his heart out. Tough bastards, the Eyes of Guumsh. But then, they have to be to make it through the ceremony."

So, Bryce has met Corellon? That's interesting. Core never mentioned it."

Triv munched another grape. "Well, 'met' might not be the right word. Corellon helped us out with that band of orcs. Kept us hidden so we could recover." He shrugged. "I guess I owe him one. I've just been better at placing my faith in my sword arm instead of in someone who may or may not be paying attention at the time." He didn't want to tell her how close they came to dying that day. He wasn't sure she'd understand. Though, he guessed she had a right to know. He'd been about to tell her more of the story when...

"I adopted a daughter. Her name is Tina and Briarius has adopted her as well."

"Um...That's.." Triv stammered. "Uh..That's great, Sha'uri. I can't wait to meet her but... um.. Who's Briarius?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-12 21:24 EST

He didn't want to tell her how close they came to dying that day. He wasn't sure she'd understand. Though, he guessed she had a right to know. He'd been about to tell her more of the story when...

He didn't have to tell her, she knew it had been close to death for him. The moment he told her one of the Eye of Gruumsh cut him, she knew.... the scar was enough to tell her why Corellon interceeded. She didn't want to think about it, not yet. It's why she had changed the subject so abruptly. Maybe in a few moments, but not right now...

"I adopted a daughter. Her name is Tina and Briarius has adopted her as well."

"Um...That's.." Triv stammered. "Uh..That's great, Sha'uri. I can't wait to meet her but... um.. Who's Briarius?"

She blinked at his stammering. Then realizing that in her haste to change subject, she left a plethora of information out. Chuckling softly, she popped a grape into his mouth and kissed him soundly.

"Sorry hun, I should explain that shouldn't I. That sounds kind of bad... but, don't worry. Briarius was my mother's first husband. He has also been a good friend to me. When Derokis, the father of Alex, left me at the alter, Briari was there, kept me from self destructing. He is a good soul, quiet and sometimes easy to misunderstand, but I assure you his heart is good."

She popped a grape in her mouth and munched it a moment.

"Anyway, My mother thought he was dead, which is a whole other story involved there. In a nutshell, she eventually married my father and had me."

A brief pause as she debated to go into the whole explanation of her ordeal when she was in labor with Alex, but then she decided it could wait. That would definitely open up a whole other can of worms, or so she was afraid of.

"So, Briari was a friend of the family when it was realized he still lived. He wasn't around long before he disappeared again. I later found out it was his nemesis, Erique, that had all but destroyed Briari. And when I came back to RhyDin this last time, I found him when Erique was about to finish him off. That bastard had replicated the bodies of people Briari had loved, including my mother.... Long story, and I have to commend Briari for being able to look past all that and withstand daily being around the look alikes of his past loves. But as I said, he really is a good soul. I realized, though, through it all that I needed him in my life... because he is family."

Nod. There wasn't anyway else to explain that. He was family.

"Anyway, Christina STorms, she couldn't be more then about seven when I found her at the Inn in RhyDin, orphaned and alone. I felt sorry for her and brought her home to the School where I was teaching. Oh, yeah, Briari opened up a school for the gifted in RhyDin. It's expanding now, but anyway, I brought Tina home and Briari and I just fell in love with her. I couldn't look at her like a ward of the school and I didn't want to adopt her alone, so.. I did the next best thing, I talked Brairi into being her father. No, not marriage, just that she can look to him as father and me as mother... sort of like a divorced couple but without all the baggage in between. Know what I mean? I just felt it was the best thing to do for her at the time."

And still, there was much more to say, though she wanted to make sure Triv understood so far. It was important that he did.

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-15 03:42 EST

Triv listened intently, nodding occasionally to show he was paying attention. He furrowed his eyebrows when she mentioned the clones. "So there's a...copy of your mother walking around Rhydin? Does it..uh..she know she's a copy?" He wondered if such a creature would have a soul and if the copy would act just like the person it was copied from or if the persnality would be different. It was giving him a headache.

An orphan? Triv nodded. He knew a little bit about being an orphan. Though he was raised by his aunt, she wasn't really what he'd call a parent. 'Guardian' was probably a better word. Actually, he could think of a lot of good words to describe his aunt, none of them repeatable in polite company. He smiled and kissed her. "That's a very noble thing to do. I really would like to meet her."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-15 16:20 EST

"So there's a...copy of your mother walking around Rhydin? Does it..uh..she know she's a copy?"

"While she is very similar to my mother, she isn't her. I don't know where Erique got the means to construct her. He may have had DNA samples of my mother from before certain changes happened. I don't know. He may have just created her out of memory or found another who looked similar... maybe even tracked my mother's family back to Krynn and obtained... samples that way. I'm not sure which way he used to make the copy."

Sha'uri shrugged a bit.

"As it was, she didn't know what she was at first... she actually had a sliver of Erique's soul, just enough to give the body life and a means to function with minimal thought. He controlled her, until I destroyed him. This freed Eversmart, the God of Magic from Briari's homeworld of Kadorasil. It was he who gave her elements of a soul and means to be a real person. I don't know why he didn't bind her soul, but Briari discovered the elements of her soul hovering seperated within her. He helped bind the pieces of her soul together making her into a real person, with her own soul. Her name is Lyndra and she knows now what she is, someone who was created in darkness, finished in the light and bound with love. She's been good and has tried to accept her situation and has been developing into her own personality. I think she'll be all right."

She went on to tell him about Tina, since her explanation probably made the headache get worse... she kissed his forehead, wiggling more comfortably upon his lap. How she got there, she didn't know. But there she was, on his lap..

He smiled and kissed her. "That's a very noble thing to do. I really would like to meet her."

"I'm sure you will. Course, there are things you should know about her. She's um.. well, this is even harder to explain. There's this guy named Cutter. He fronted an orphanage, but used the children and garnered technology to mix with magic for ill purposes. He actually split souls, torturing and ripping them from all manner of life. To make a long story short, Tina's one of his abominations, a weapon... or rather she is the key to a weapon he designed to destroy Exodii."

Just talking about it formed flames of revenge flickering in the depths of her eyes.
"I thought he was just some guy that molested her... thought it was something she could maybe forgive and I told her the best and hardest thing to do was forgive but ... what he has done... I don't know if there is forgiveness for such things. I would rather do to him what he has done to so many."

She looked away from Triv, gazing down to his chest. She just wanted to forget all about it as there was no putting it aside. She felt her lips pressed to his again, and again, needing to feel that there were beautiful things in life, like the love she felt for this man... a soul that gave her so much peace.

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-16 16:12 EST

Triv was silent as she spoke. It was a lot to think about and he'd have to work it over in his head for a time before he could understand it all. He wondered what kind of scumbag would molest a little girl. This Cutter guy deserved to die slow.

His thoughts were broken as their lips met. He could sense a need in her. A need to forget. A need to lose herself in passion. He smirked and glanced at the ceiling. You two sill paying attention?

He went back to kissing her as he stood with Sha'uri in his arms. He carried her back to the bed and, once again, the world faded away.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-19 17:52 EST

You two still paying attention?

It would, of course, prompt a view from some other worldly place...

"Core? Did ya hear tha'? He wants 't know if we're payin attention. Should I?"

"You should've been born an imp. No... "

"But he said..."

"Let them be."

"Yar nae any fun. Just one li'll zap? A minor li'l thing, eh? Come on, love... just a wee li'll zinger?"

"Gah! No! Come on, you. We've got better things to do.. like hunting. Your daughter knows the two of them have our blessings. At least, I know they have mine. I'd wager they have her father's. They have yours right?"

Silence.

"Sharalis..."

"Aye, they've me blessin. Always have, always will. He's given 'er two 'o me grandchildren, no?"

"Two? You didn't..."

"Nae. Ne'er force anythin like tha. Nae. I did not. Tis purely natural. Look fer yourself, do ye nae see?"

Silence.

"Core? Do ye see it?"

"Yes... it's so... So, Beautiful, no?"

"Aye, that she be."

"Then let us leave them be."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-19 18:42 EST

Conceptions

by. R. Miller
2/19/07

The warmth.
A bonding
The passion
Two hearts pounding
Reverberating into one another
Tiny slivers of essence sparked
Igniting new flames
A Love
A Life
Merged tenderly
Anew

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-19 19:12 EST

Sha'uri woke slowly to that familiar position of spoons. For several moments she felt as if she were back in Dar Oma during a time when she felt whole and at peace with herself and the world ... during those first days with Triv, before he died...

She and Triv had shared so much then; thoughts, feelings, sensations, even felt their souls touch to one another. It was back during the time when she'd concieved of Bryce.. the last time she'd felt so alive in that stirring of life.

She felt that stirring again and knew... another conception was taking place.

A smile tugged the corner of her lips, eyes misting with joy, as she moved Triv's hand to her abdomen, laying her hand atop his to press his there gently. She could tell he was awake though laying there quietly, no doubt feeling again those sensations they used to share igniting anew... feeling the life in her womb form, sparked by a sliver of each of their souls, merging into one.

Sha'uri lay there quietly, too emotional for words.

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-20 15:05 EST

Triv furrowed his eyebrows for a minute as Sha'uri placed his hand on her stomach. He was about to ask her what she was doing when he felt it. The life growing within her. There were no words to express what he felt at that moment. He thought of everything he missed with Bryce. First words, first steps, teaching him how to stand up for himself, how to be a man.

He wondered if it'd be a girl or a boy. Another son would be nice but he kind of hoped for a girl. He could spoil a little girl and worry about her getting hurt. Then, when she was older, he could threaten her boyfriends. He smiled. That would be fun. He snuggled closer to Sha'uri, happy just to be with her again.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-20 15:58 EST

She turned round to face him and snuggled closer, just busting with joy. She'd gotten her son back, her love back and now this. Her life was back.

"Arlin? Jarod? Lydia? Tymara?"

She wiggled her brows, excited by it. Yet, a seriousness settled in.

"I let you go and you came back to me. Thank you, for bringing my life back again. All I want to do is share it with you...."

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-20 17:24 EST

Triv grinned and stroked her back. "Ooh. I like Arlin and Jarod. I've never really been good at picking names. It's a lot of responsibility, naming a child."

"I let you go and you came back to me. Thank you, for bringing my life back again. All I want to do is share it with you...."

He smirked to lighten the mood. "With reunions like this, I'll have to go away more often." He kissed her. "I have to admit, though, I was a little nervous about seeing you again."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-20 17:49 EST

Smirk. She playfully pinched him.

"Go away? More often? Don't you dare..."

She giggled lightly, sighing softly.

"Oh Triv, I don't blame you. I mean I know what you mean. I was nervous too. When Alex called me and told me you were here, my stomach was all tied in knots. I never dared to think you'd come back, but when you did... I dared hope."

She hugged him close.

"So, tell me about your time away... What happened after you left?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-20 19:06 EST

Triv's smile faded. "There really isn't much to tell. Dwyndan met up with us after we left the citadel. I'm still not sure how he got here. He never was one to reveal his secrets, even to me. Dwyndan taught Bryce a few things as we traveled but I'm afraid Bryce will never make a successful assassin. Though, I guess that's a good thing. We discovered a tribe of humans after a few months. I guess you could call them barbarians. They were all bigger than us and tough as nails but very hospitable. We stayed with them for a week or so before moving on. They warned us that they had seen signs of orcs in the surrounding countryside and were cautious. Not cautious enough, though.

"The orcs ambushed us in a canyon about six days after we left the barbarians. They were led by an Eye of Gruumsh and an Spirit Shaman. Eye's are almost always leaders of some sort because they're so tough but they're not usually very smart so they keep a shaman around as an adviser. Bryce was knocked unconscious after he killed the shaman. I don't know exactly what happened. I turned around after I was finished with the Eye and there was Bryce on the ground with Dwyndan standing over him trying to keep the orcs away." Triv grimaced. "I never knew what real fear was until I saw that. Dwyndan was able to hold the orcs off long enough for me to carry Bryce to safety. We found a deep cave and stayed there until we were healthy again. Bryce said Corellon came to him in his dreams and told him not to worry. That he'd keep us safe."

"Dwyndan never found us and when we returned to the scene of the battle, I found out why. There, among the dead orcs, was Dwyndans no-dachi. We shadowed what was left of the orcs after that, picking them off a few at a time. Without a leader, they became sloppy. Didn't even post guards. After a couple of days, there were no orcs left." Once he had started talking he found he couldn't stop until he had it all out. It felt good to tell someone about it.

"After that there was nothing major. A few skirmishes with goblins and the like. One hill giant. There's a journal with some notes and a few maps in my pack. You can look through it if you like."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-20 19:43 EST

His frown prompted her hand to stroke his cheek slowly, gently as if to ease his emotions. She sensed, as his story unfolded, just how much seeing Bryce almost die had to do with his premature aging. She had assumed it was from use of the haste spell, and perhaps the rough life of travel, but hearing him told more then just his words. She could give him some of his youth back if he let her.

"Well, at least we know Bryce is a lousy assassin, thank Corellon."

She grinned a bit at that for just a moment.

"Though.. I prayed he would watch over both of you and keep you safe.... I never knew Dwyndan was with you, nor that he died. He must've been taken by another guardian to the heavens... or perhaps the hells. I never knew his beliefs, though I know there was some good in him. Perhaps Corellon took him himself."

She paused with a silent prayer to Corellon asking that her thanks to Dwyndan be relayed along with blessings for a peaceful afterlife. She sighed gently.

"After that there was nothing major. A few skirmishes with goblins and the like. One hill giant. There's a journal with some notes and a few maps in my pack. You can look through it if you like."

"I'd like to see those sometime, relay the information to others so that maps can be adjusted and notes taken on the regions you visited. It would be nice if you had made some contacts that we could follow up on. If you did, you can recommend those later."

The thought just hit her out of no where and surprisingly it brought a smile tugging the corners of her lips.

"So, are there, or could there be, any more brothers or sisters out there for Bryce? Besides the one we're brewing now..."

Could she blame him if there were? Nope, not one bit. He was, after all, an exceptionally viral man. But, she needed to know, get it on the table so it could be dealt with. She knew that soon she wouldn't be able to deal with any surprises like that ....

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-20 20:04 EST

Triv didn't think about the after-life very much but the barbarians had spoke of Valhalla, a heaven for warriors. If there was such a place he figured that's where Dwyndan would be. Perhaps Triv would meet him there when the time came and they could fight side by side once again.

"So, are there, or could there be, any more brothers or sisters out there for Bryce? Besides the one we're brewing now..."

It took him a moment to realize what she meant. He grinned. "Oh, I see how it is. Don't think the bastard half-elf can control himself, eh?" Mirth danced in his eyes. "No. There were no women for any of us. Women are...difficult. They complicate things."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-20 20:21 EST

"Am I? Do I?"

Momentary pause.

"I guess I do."

Pearly whites bit gently upon her bottom lip, trying not to smile too much.

"I don't do it alone, ya know."

Smile.

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-20 20:41 EST

Hm. Perhaps he should rephrase that. "No, I didn't mean...You don't complicate... You know, when we were traveling, one of us might have met a woman in a town and decided to stay a few days and then just a few more days then just a couple more days. See what I mean? We decided right off the bat not to get involved with any women on the trip. I think Bryce considered breaking the rule once or twice when a barmaid or innkeepers daughter made eyes at him but he's disciplined enough to control himself. Hmm...I wonder how Bryce is getting along. How long have we been in here?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-20 21:00 EST

A few snickers escaped as Triv stammered then changed the subject. She was going to bring up the point, that she probably complicated his life more then anyone he knew, when he pointed out the fact that neither one of them knew how long they'd been in there.

"Ya know... I... have absolutely no clue how long. He's probably fine, Triv. Alex I'm sure got him settled in."

A smile widened.

"Alex, I think, was just as excited you two came home as I was. He's.. missed out on so much in his life. It'll be good for him to have a brother close by, and a father figure. I know he's grown, but one never outgrows the need for a parent type figure in their life."

Nod. She knew.

"And they are gonna be thrilled about the baby."

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-21 00:12 EST

Triv rolled onto his back and tucked one hand behind his head. "Alex seems like a nice enough boy. Quite a bit different from Bryce, isn't he? That's a good thing, though. They'll each be able to learn something from the other."

Yes, Bryce would be ecstatic to learn he was going to have a little brother or sister. Triv almost couldn't wait to tell him. After all this time, they were finally going to be a family. Anyone trying to come between him and his family would live to regret it, albeit not very long.

Speaking of being a family...

"Sha'uri, when can we be married? I'm sure there are about a million things that need to be done in preparation for a wedding but I'd like it to be as soon as possible."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-21 15:31 EST

As he rolled to his back, she shifted more comfortably to lay her cheek on the edge of his chest, listening to the beat of his heart. Her fingers trailed a circle upon his skin beside her, then drew figure 8's and then heart shapes where inside she wrote the words *I Love You* and *Sha'uri N Triv* among other things as if his chest were a blank slate and her finger the chalk. She'd rub it out in between phrases, grinning all the while.

"One can only hope they will get along. They probably will. Alex is pretty easy going, though meticulous in nature. I've never seen him lose his temper. He gets that from his father, very even tempered ... passive emotionally when it comes to the negative ones. Although, I've seen him jump up in the air when he gets a project working right, and give a little whoop and hollar when he thinks no one is around to see or hear. It's so cute. He's really very shy."

She chuckled.

"Bryce on the other hand, is not. I kind of sensed your travels have influenced him as much. He carries himself so much like you.. confident, assured, strong, enduring... like a rock. I'll be very intrigued to see how our next one here turns out."

"Sha'uri, when can we be married? I'm sure there are about a million things that need to be done in preparation for a wedding but I'd like it to be as soon as possible."

Blink. Her heart stopped for several beats. She didn't know why but it made her cry, the tears just spilled from her eyes. She sat up quietly, no sobs just sniffles, and tried in vain to wipe them away, trying to figure out why all those tears were coming as they were. But her emotions were so mixed she couldn't sort them all out; happy because she'd want nothing more with him, and frightened, scared out of her wits.

Truth was, she wouldn't survive another big wedding thing gone wrong. No, It wasn't even his thing she knew, he was being polite. It didn't matter the ceremony, just the bond between them mattered. Besides, last time they had been planning a small wedding anyway. There was no preparation needed now, she was a Priestess of Corellon. No more was needed.... except maybe the rings and a witness or two. Both could be gotten quite readily.

Wiping back a tear, her voice cracked with a sultry twist.

"Now?"

It was more of a suggestion then it was a question.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-22 18:08 EST

How long had it been? Alex had given Bryce the tour; taken the load of merchandise to the new stores in RhyDin; had dinner with Bryce and had worked on a few projects. He'd even spent a couple of hours in meditation and woke up in time to see Bryce at Breakfast.

At breakfast the second day, he had poured himself a cup of coffee, loaded in sugar and cream, grabbed a bacon, egg and cheese croissant and sat down to the table with his brother. The two merely passed glances and that was all that was needed to know that neither of them had seen their mother or Triv. Alex giggled.

Then he spent the day on his projects while Bryce went into RhyDin for whatever Bryce was going to do. Alex made sure Bryce knew where things were and how to use the portals. He even gave Bryce a map of the city and pointed out where the Ravensheart School for the Gifted was located.

The entire second day had passed and still no sign of the two. Alex was a little more concerned by the time Breakfast rolled round on day Three.

And there he sat with coffee mug in hand, nothing to eat this time. He hoped his Brother might've noticed something .... so he waited to see if he'd show for breakfast. He wasn't even sure if Bryce came back that night. Alex had been emerced into those never ending list of ... projects.

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-24 19:12 EST

Triv grinned as he sat up and kissed her. "Sounds good to me." He didn't care about a big wedding, either. After all, the only people he knew here were her and Bryce.

He stood and pulled on his underwear before moving for his pack. After rummaging for a moment he pulled out a wooden comb and started running it through his rust-colored hair. He looked up. "I don't suppose you'd want me to wear my dusty trail clothes to our wedding...?"

**************

Bryce had been spending most of his time in Rhydin preparing his dojo. He'd only come back to the citadel the night before. He spotted Alex as he stepped into the cafeteria. "Morning, Brother. Sleep well?" He grabbed a plate and started loading it up.

"Bacon is man's finest achievement, I think." He filled a glass with orange juice and took a seat across from Alex. He ate quickly, as was his custom. "Seen Mom and Dad?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-24 20:09 EST

His kisses always seemed to give her peace. She smiled as she watched him begin to get dressed.

"I don't suppose you'd want me to wear my dusty trail clothes to our wedding...?"

Instant flash of wide eyes.
"Ak! No! Don't even touch those things!"
She giggled and scampered out of bed, snatching up the pack and used telekinises to sent it to the other end of the room.
"In fact, let's burn 'em?"
Grin.

*******************

"Bacon is man's finest achievement, I think."

Alex watched his brother come in while sipping his coffee. He grinned to his brother's comment.
"Can't argue with you there, though I will never understand how you know that considering how fast you suck down your food."

"Seen Mom and Dad?"

Alex shook his head.
"No, I was hoping you had. I feel bad now. I jokingly said something about Mom killing him... I'm getting worried that she might've."
He was grinning.
"What a way to go, hm? Think we should go pound on their door?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-24 20:40 EST

Triv chuckled as his pack floated across the room. "Let's don't burn them just yet." He grinned. "I am going to need to wear something while we go to get something new. I'm not too keen on wandering around naked." He tossed his comb on the bed. "So, who's going to perform the ceremony?"

*********

Bryce took a sip of orange juice and finished his meal. "Beat on the door? Yeah. You first, Brother." He laughed and, remembering his manners this time, used a napkin to wipe his mouth. "I would've thought they'd at least came out for something to eat by now. I guess my dad isn't as old as he thought."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-24 21:23 EST

Sha'uri's gaze caressed up and down his form while she shook her head.

"Oh no, Baby... You don't need to wear a thing."

She grinned deeply, scrunching up her nose a bit. Then she moved away to go get some water. She was, after all, quite thirsty.

"I can perform the ceremony, or I can get another priestess to do it. There are more then just me who serve Corellon. If that's okay with you?"

She drank a full glass before she continues.

"Okay, so, I need to get you acclimated here. I'll need to set up voice recognitions, set a code for you, access peramiters, etc, etc... so that you can access certain computerized functions, such as locking or unlocking certain doors, changing holographic scenery, using replicators and other minor facilities. Not that I don't trust you, but you won't have high access for a time, until you've learned how to use the Citadel. You'll gain access as you learn. Unlike most others, trust is not an issue with you, for I simply do."

It was then she put Triv through the same basic intro to the computer, setting access codes and whatnot, as what Alex did with Bryce.

"Now you can use the replicator to fashion some clothes, we can take you to the armory for new armor and weapons... and no.. wait... that'll come after food. I'm starved! Aren't you?"

She was famished.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-24 21:43 EST

Alex shook his head.
"Actually, she's got a replicator in there, plus she can conjur up some food if necessary. They could be in there for months, indefinitely."

Just then an middle aged elf, dressed as an elder of the temple of corellon, walked up to their table with a tray of pastries and sat down with them, as if they were all best buddies. His golden hair was braided and tied neatly back. His emerald hues twinkled with mirth as he gazed to the two brothers with a look of familiarity.

Alex didn't recognize him, but to Bryce he bore a remarkable resemblance to someone, perhaps from a dream. There was a majestic aire about him and graciousness as he offered the two brothers some of his pastries.

"Today is a good day to live. What better way to spend the day then binding those betrothed long ago with love to give... hm? Have a filled donut, they're delicious! "

He smiled widely, picked up a powdered donut filled with cherry jam and took a big bite...

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-25 17:23 EST

"Okay, so, I need to get you acclimated here. I'll need to set up voice recognitions, set a code for you, access peramiters, etc, etc... so that you can access certain computerized functions, such as locking or unlocking certain doors, changing holographic scenery, using replicators and other minor facilities.....

Triv blinked. He understood about four words in that. He listened intently as she explained it, though, and was able to blunder through the set up process. Well, Triv thought, let's give it a shot. He ordered the computer to make him some brown pants, a tan button-down shirt, and a pair of leather boots. He held up the shirt suspiciously for a moment before getting dressed. "Now that's handy."

"I'm starved! Aren't you?"

"Aye," Triv said as he tucked his shirt in. "I could eat. Y'all got a mess hall around here somewhere?"

***********************

"Um. Hullo." Bryce squinted at the new-comer. He reminded Bryce of someone. For some reason, he was thinking about the orcs, and the cave... Bryce's eyes widened as he jumped out of chair, nearly knocking it over. "You're Cor...uh..." He took a moment to compose himself and went down to one knee, bowing his head. "Corellon. I am honored that you would grace us with your presence. What have I done to receive this blessing?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-25 17:52 EST

Sha'uri tried not to smile too much, watching Triv work the computer for the first time. He had a lot to learn about them and she would provide him classes and mentors to help him through the process. Although, she wasn't going to say it to him.

She quickly used a cantrip to clean herself up. Then she got herself dressed, slipping on an antique white dress trimmed with blues and greens. Laced sandles were slipped on and tied up past her ankles. Both were dressed simply, yet appropriately.

Then she had the computer make samples of cologne for Triv to choose from.
"Thought maybe you might want some. They're all my favorites."

She sprayed her own concoction of light portions of jasmine and roses mixed with musk onto herself. Around her neck she placed a simple strand of pearls and tied her hair up, letting a few whispy strands dangle down the back of her neck. A light amount of make up was used as well, giving her lips a dab of coloring, too.

"Mess hall? Yes we do! Ready?"

She held out her hand for him to take and walked him down that way....

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-25 18:10 EST

Alex watched the elf approach. Because he didn't recognize him, he was about a half thought away from sounding an alarm when Bryce nearly fell out of his chair and then kneeled to the floor before this priest of... but that's not what Bryce had said. He'd called him Corellon as if this were the one.

His jaw nearly dropped and he glanced around quickly to see if anyone else had noticed. Oddly, there were some glances in their direction but no one seemed to be alarmed by anything happening over here. Calmly he let his gaze rest upon the elder. Even though his lips asked, he didn't need to. He felt the answer all the same.

"Are you?"

Corellon nodded.

"Don't worry, they see me as one of the usual Elders. Rise Sir Bryce and plant your arse back on the seat to finish your breakfast. My presence is of humble display and others do not know or see me as you and your brother do now. I'm here for your parents, Bryce. I believe they're on their way down to catch breakfast and I'm sure you'll want to stick around for a bit... if only to act as witness."

Trivial · Date: 2007-02-26 00:08 EST

Triv sat on the bed to pull on his boots as he watched Sha'uri get dressed. An eyebrow was raised appreciatively as she bent over to lace her sandals. He still couldn't believe they were back together again. He'd fought recklessly while exploring Exodii with Bryce. An onlooker might have thought he was suicidal but that wasn't the case. He hadn't wanted to die because he felt dead already.

Now that he was back with her, though, he wished he could live forever. Triv didn't know much about the afterlife. He'd heard people talk about some place you go after you die where everyone is happy but he couldn't imagine being happier than he was right then.

He made his way over to the cologne and sniffed a few. "Is this your way of telling me I stink?" He shot her a wink as he applied a small amount to his neck. He waited until she was finished getting ready and then looked her up and down. "I'm a very lucky man, aren't I?" He took her hand and allowed her to lead him to the mess hall.

****************

Bryce sat back down as instructed. "My parents? But my dad doesn't even... ahem... That is to say, he's not very religious." He wasn't sure how he should act. There weren't very many things that could make Bryce nervous. If you look death in the face enough times, there isn't much that can make you uneasy. But this... This was something all-together different.

"Umm... Forgive me but what do mean witness? I assume that if something was wrong you wouldn't show up with pastries." Speaking of pastries... Bryce lifted one off the platter and took a bite. "Oh wow. This is the best thing I've ever eaten." He forgot all his questions for a moment. "Alex, you've got to try one of these."

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-26 15:14 EST

"I'm a very lucky man, aren't I?" He took her hand and allowed her to lead him to the mess hall.

If he felt lucky, she thought she felt luckier. He'd been the only one in her life that she'd never really doubted her feelings for, except once.... one stupid fight the night he died. Even when she had let herself fall for Galen, she always had a love for Triv. Always. To have a second chance with him again, was not something she would let slip by.

"Not as lucky as me."

She kissed his cheek and caught of whif of the cologne. She sniffed closer to his ear, taking in a deep sniff of him. Now that a few moments had passed, the scent had changed as the cologne mixed with his own natural flavor. She sniffed several times more and playfully nibbled.

"Gods you smell good. I need to get away from you... or I'm liable to drag you back to my room again."

Giggling, she pulled away, but didn't let go of his hand though kept him at arms length from herself as they moved down the hall and around to some stairs, meandering until they were walking into the dinning area.

Grabbing some plates, she handed Triv one and started down the line picking food. She glanced back to see their boys and.... her jaw dropped..

Corellon watched the two enter with a smile. He nodded to her, relaying telepathically a few things.

This seemed to get her to close her mouth.

"Uh.. there's our boys and um... don't freak but there's Corellon with them. We see him, but others see one of our Elders of the Faith instead. He's offering to bind us himself..."

She sounded quite honored by it, and in fact was.

Shauri · Date: 2007-02-26 15:32 EST

Corellon grinned.

"It will not matter. She is my servant, one in whom I take special interest. If your father is to be included to her, to a generous degree, I thought I'd introduce myself to him a little more formally.... and to you both. You are her children, her flesh and blood. I am not here to claim or demand anyone's religousness. It is not what I strive for... not even from my own servants. I only ask them their love as I give them mine. And there they are..."

Alex merely listened as he took a donut to try them out. There was indeed something.. special about them. He suddenly felt as if nothing was wrong in the world and even if there was, he was brave enough to jump in and fix it. He felt like a Hero... He felt like when his mother would conjure up that Feast she said was blessed by Corellon...

"The feast of Heros."

He glanced up to see his parents and then two and two was put together.

"You're here to wed them."

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-01 10:40 EST

Triv followed Sha'uri down the line and loaded his plate with scrambled eggs, biscuits with gravy, bacon, and enough sausage to feed a small family. Breakfast was the most important meal of the day, after all. He frowned when he saw the pancakes and realized there wasn't enough room on his plate. Oh well. He could always come back for seconds if necessary.

"Uh.. there's our boys and um... don't freak but there's Corellon with them. We see him, but others see one of our Elders of the Faith instead. He's offering to bind us himself..."

"Why are amazing things always happening around you?" he whispered before carrying his plate to the table and setting it down next to Bryce. He reached out to shake Corellon's hand. "Name's Triv but I guess you already knew that." He didn't know if gods made a habit of shaking hands with mortals but it was the only way he knew to introduce himself.

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-01 16:15 EST

"I didn't know amazing things were bad?"

She muttered with a grin and followed Triv to the table, taking a seat next to Corellon, opposite of Triv, Bryce and Alex. She smiled as Triv introduced himself.

Triv's hand was taken firmly into Corellons warm and friendly embrace as the two shook hands.

"Now that's what I like, someone with no fear. I can see why Sha'uri loves you so much, even if you lack a magical forte you sure make up for it in spunk alone. Sit, eat and be well."

Core let go of Triv's hand, motioning to indicate his last few words. It had been more then a handshake though. Slowly the warmth seeped into the bones of Triv's hands. It would take a little time to notice, though by the time Triv was done eating he'd notice not one flinch of pain in his hands. What arthritis had been forming was going away.

"Tell me, will this be a simple binding or more of the elven bonding?" Corellon glanced between Sha'uri and Triv.

Sha'uri quickly explained,

"Binding means just the usual oath and bonding means ... well.. you'd develop telepathy with me over time, a few weeks would have you being able to read me, put thoughts into my mind instead of me just reading you and putting my thoughts to yours. We'd sense each other no matter where we were, feel things, too. Nothing would come between it nor stop it. You've sampled some of it with me, but it would be unbreakable. Which would you preferre? I have no objection to either."

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-02 04:35 EST

So that's what it's like to shake hands with a god. Triv took his seat and started eating. His hands felt...different. More flexible. He had to resist the urge to pop his knuckles. He thought about the binding as he chewed. 'Just the usual oaths...' she had said. There wasn't anything 'usual' about Sha'uri. To him, there was nothing to think about. If he understood it correctly, after they were bonded he'd know if anything happened to her. He would always be able to be there if she needed him.

He met her eyes over the table. "If we were bonded, like you say, we'd never really be apart." He winked at her. "I like the sound of that."

Bryce slapped his father on the back causing him to almost choke on a bit of sausage. "Hell yeah. Let's do this, then."

Triv cocked an eyebrow at Bryce. "Mind if I finish my breakfast first?" He shot a helpless look at Corellon. "Kids these days, eh? Always in a hurry."

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-02 06:00 EST

He met her eyes over the table. "If we were bonded, like you say, we'd never really be apart." He winked at her. "I like the sound of that."

She beamed a smile and then shot Bryce a look as he slapped his father on the back.

"Hey, at least let us get married before you start trying to nix him off."
she winked and went back to smiling. Of course she was kidding!

"Are you sure you want in on this family, Triv?" Corellon chuckled. "Now's the time to run...."

Alex wiped the remnants of donut off his lips with a napkin and grinned. "This is where life gets interesting... You did tell Triv about the Woodshadow family ...er... trends of one successor replacing the other, didn't you?"

"Alex!" She shot him a look.

"Sorry Mom. It's true, though. Seems Woodshadow leaders tended to be assassinated upon the throne..." Alex chuckled. He'd been kidding, but not about the assisinations.

"Oh, Don't listen to him. I'm not a traditional Woodshadow." Sha'uri chuckled, too and ate her buiscuts and gravy.

Corellon snickered. "Neither is your mother. Speaking of .... " He let that part trail as he stood up, pushing the plate of donuts between everyone. "I'll meet you all in the Gardens after you've finished your breakfast. Sha'uri, Triv.... you two think about your vows, why you are doing this, what you gain from each other, what you give and what you expect from all of this..." He stood, stepped away and faded from view.

Sha'uri paused in the middle of chewing, locking her gaze with Triv. Whatever she thought or felt on the subject of Corellon's order, she knew mere words wouldn't do it justice. The smile spread, sparkling those sapphire eyes. She loved him aweful!

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-07 01:09 EST

Triv finished his breakfast. "Assassinations, eh?" He pointed his fork at Bryce. "I'll be keeping my eye on you, boy."

Bryce smirked. "Dwyndan did teach me a thing or two. Your days are numbered, old man."

Triv's fork suddenly burst into flames. "Gah!" Triv tried to put out the fire by shaking the fork. "Very funny, Bryce. Make it stop."

Bryce chuckled and banished the flames. "Lighten up. It's just a ghost flame." He laughed at his father's blank look.

"You're not too big for a spanking, you know." Triv sat his fork down and pushed his plate away. Did Corellon say vows? He hadn't thought of that. Triv had never been good at putting his feeling into words. He caught Sha'uri's gaze and smiled back at her. He didn't know any words that were strong enough to describe what he felt for her. "So what's the ceremony going to be like?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-07 18:08 EST

Alex nearly busted his gut from laughing at the two. It was about all he could do, though he swore Bryce reminded him so much of his grandfather's demeanor. He missed that old coot.

"Oh, you're definitely a Woodshadow related being, Bryce.. Grandpa would've loved you.. actually, both of you."

Ah... Family! She'd missed this kind of thing. She'd always thought Triv would've fit in perfectly to that side of the family. Conversations like that occurred all the time with them, especially around her Grandpa. She missed him so much.

"I'm so looking forward to family banter like this more often..."

She winked to Triv.

"So what's the ceremony going to be like?"

"I have no clue ..." she answered Triv's question, "I honestly don't know what to expect. But... I guess we'll find out together, yes?"

It was true, Corellon was usually full of surprises and it was hard to tell just what he'd do.

"Well, I mean, we'll probably do the usual things, like light a candle together and say a few words to each other, why we love each other and what we hope to gain from the other... pledge ourselves, sell our souls... you know, the usual form of a wedding." Grin. she was teasing about the selling.

"But he may have some twists to it." She shrugged, having no clue.

Then she got up from the table, having finished her food.

Alex approached his mother and took her by the arm, planting a light kiss to her forehead.
"I guess it's up to me to give you away. Perhaps we should let those two get there first? I wanted to talk to you anyway. Bryce knows the way. I took him there the first day..."

He looked to the other two hoping it would be okay with them....

Sha'uri nodded and looked to Bryce and Triv with a reassuring nod and smile.
"I'll be in there shortly."

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-08 15:42 EST

Outside in the back of the Citadel, In the Gardens of the Sanctuary....

The temperature felt like a warm spring day. The sun was shining, the air was warm and not a speck of snow was on the grounds. Outside the gardens and beyond the lands of the Citadel, was the opposite... snow all over and temperatures just below freezing. The only thing in common was that the sun was shining bright and warm.

Flowers had blossomed in and out of season causing blooms to constantly be in abundance here in this beautiful natural garden. Tea roses of various colors lined the pathways as they wound round and down to the center where the Alter to Corellon was fashioned in the shape of a crescent moon. The moon was in the sky at the last crescent before a new moon, a point when ties were strong to the god.

He stood at the alter now, preparing a goblet of wine, one large candle and two smaller ones, and the rings he now imbued with his divine protections in preparation for the days to come.

She stood beside him, platinum hair long with a few layers to frame that angelic face. Hazel green hues sparkled with emerald specks as her arcane power was added to his. A kiss for luck was given to each ring and a tear was shed, caught by the hand of Corellon.

"It will be well, Sharalis. You should rest for the days ahead." he gently told her.

She nodded and as he kissed her cheek, she faded from view, though a rainbow seemed to arch over the alter signifying a remnant of her presence. With the waterfall behind the alter, it appeared to frame it in a perfect picturesque view. It truly was a beautiful place.

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-11 11:58 EST

Triv nodded as he stood. "Don't be too long, eh?"

"Oh c'mon," Bryce said. "You just spent like three days locked up in a room together. A few minutes apart isn't going to kill you. Let's go."

Triv gave Sha'uri a parting wink and started following Bryce. "I can't believe we're finally going to be married."

Bryce glanced at his father. "I can't believe you shook hands with Corellon."

Triv shrugged.. "Well, what was I supposed to do? I've never met a god before." He examined his right hand as they walked, flexing his fingers.

"Something wrong with your hand?" Bryce asked.

"No," Triv replied. "That's the problem. The arthritis seems to be gone. It's...odd."

"I'd imagine things like that happen with you touch a god." Bryce spread his hands as they entered the gardens. "Here we are. Nice place for a wedding, no?"

Triv nodded. "Very nice. Warm, too. Ah, there's Corellon." He inhaled deeply. The two made there way through the garden to the alter. Triv gave Corellon a nod in greeting. "Sha'uri and Alex will be along shortly. Um...How does this whole thing work? Do we have to jump over a broomstick or something? I've never been very good at ceremonies and whatnot."

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 16:01 EST

Corellon opened his hand to reveal the caught tear turned into a gummy chewy candy, apple flavored, in the shape of that teardrop. He grinned and set it on a small plate. Then motioned Bryce and Triv over as they entered. When they arrived closer, he held out the plate with the gummy candy to Triv, and grinned.

"No jumping over brooms but we could have you fly one through a brick wall if you wanted. Last chance, son....it's not too late to run." Corellon chuckled. "Just kidding. Here. I guess I'm supposed to give this to you. It's from Sha'uri's mother, Sharalis. It is a wedding present to both of you, though designed for her new son. You. It's edible, I'm sure you'll like the flavor. However, there is a kick to it designed for you. It'll extend your life expectancy by double. So... it's really up to you."

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 16:23 EST

Sha'uri blushed from the wink Triv gave and watched them leave. Then she turned to her son and walked slowly with him.

"So, tell me... what's on your mind, Alex?"

Alex hesitated, but it was something he needed to hear from her.

"I know you love him, but.. can you really withstand loosing him again? I don't know that I could bear watching you go through it again.. loosing him."

Sha'uri sighed gently, nodding.
"I will be well, Alex. What I know I can't bear is .... not making the most of the time we have. He's.. he is the love of my life, Alex. Even when I was angry with him, I knew I still loved him.. and I just don't know how to stop. I have to admit that I pushed myself to go to the alter with Galen, just out of sheer honor. But.. I always wondered if I could really withstand the urge to be with Triv as time went on. I'm glad I never had to find that out, for I'm fairly certain I would've folded at any chance...."

"You see, Everyone has the chance to have that one greatest love of their life and Triv is mine. I will never love another like this again. So I must make the most of what time we have together... as short as it may be in comparison to what my life could last. I accept that fate, and losing him again. As long as we've made the most of the time we have, then I know I can withstand the pain again."

Alex nodded.
"I needed to make sure. I didn't want to bring up that subject in front of him."

She kissed her son's cheek, appreciating his consideration and the two moved into the Sanctuary to join the others there.

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-11 16:37 EST

Triv blinked. "That's a helluva thing to spring on a guy, Corellon. I don't know what to say."

Bryce chuckled. "Just shut up and eat it, will ya? It's a gift from the gods."

Triv shrugged and popped the candy in his mouth. "Mmm...Not bad. Sharalis has my thanks." He had been tempted to turn it down. A warrior thinks of death when things become unclear; it's the only thing that tempers one's spirit. But it would make Sha'uri happy and he was in no hurry to leave his family, now that he had one. He swallowed and looked at Corellon. "I don't feel no different. Shouldn't I feel all warm and fuzzy inside?"

Bryce laughed. "Magic doesn't always work like that."

"Then how do I know it worked?"

Bryce punched him in the arm. "Have faith for once in your life, okay?"

Triv shoved Bryce back a step. "Alright, I get the point. But stop hitting me, you little punk."

Bryce smiled. "Awww... What's the matter? You getting soft in your old age?"

"You know," Triv said. "I brought you into this world, I can take you out. Don't make any difference to me. I'll make another one that looks just like you."

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 17:08 EST

Triv blinked. "That's a helluva thing to spring on a guy, Corellon. I don't know what to say."

Corellon chuckled, "As I mentioned, It's a gift from your new mother... you wonder why things happen around your wife, she's a huge reason."
The words seemed pointed as if the wedding had already taken place and Triv had a mother now, along with a wife.

The god of the elves smiled fondly as the two, father and son, began to harass each other.
"If you'd been born elf, you both would've been Wild elves.. given who I am... I could arrainge that even now."

"Hey! Not on our wedding day!" Sha'uri smirked as they came into view to see Triv and Bryce punching playfully at each other. "At least wait until tomorrow."

"You'll have to wait longer then that to make another child..." Corellon grinned, then nodded to Sha'uri to stop a few feet away. "Are we ready to start?"

Sha'uri and Alex stopped a few feet from the others and waited...

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-11 17:33 EST

"Hey! Not on our wedding day!"

Triv elbowed Bryce. "See there, you got us in trouble." He grinned as Sha'uri approached and shot her a wink before nodding at Corellon. "Yes, I believe we are." Triv leaned towards Bryce and whispered something in his ear.

Bryce nodded and moved to stand beside his father, drawing one of his swords as he did so.

It seemed Triv wanted to add his own flair to the ceremony and had instructed Bryce to hold a weapon at the ready. It was an old warriors' tradition, mostly held by barbarian tribes, that the best man be ready to protect the couple if the need should arise. Triv knew they would be in no danger here in the citadel, but he liked the tradition.

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 19:58 EST

The wink made her blush, but the drawn sword caused her to be alarmed for a moment until she realized just how formal Bryce's stance was. She realized then it was something Triv was adding, a touch of his own to help make the day be more meaningful to him. This pleased her. It was finally happening and she suddenly felt tongue tied with excitement.

Alex patted his mother's arm and looked to Corellon for signals.

The signal came with a nod from the ancient one.
"We are gathered today to bring these people, Triv Adaron and Sha'uri Tymaralis Woodshadow-Arrowny, into the bonds of holy matrimony. Is there anyone who would object to this union? Speak now or forever hold your peace..."

Corellon glanced around with a grin.. waiting all of 3.9 seconds before continuing on.

All the while Sha'uri kept chewing on her bottom lip, nervousness showing in her visage.

"It is often customary for a family member to give permission for the bride to be wed to the groom. Who condones this marriage, giving the bride to the groom and into his care?"

"I do. I am her son."
Alex escorted Sha'uri to Triv's side, shifts her arm to Triv's care and then pats Triv on the back with a whisper.
"Good luck, she's all yours."
He moved to stand on the other side of Sha'uri.

Corellon nodded.
"Considering you both want to get right down to the meat and potatoes of marriage, I'll make this a short ceremony. Marriage isn't to be taken lightly. It is a contract between two souls, a promise of support and unity. One mind, one heart. To signify this promise, a drink from the cup of marriage is to be taken by the groom and bride."

He holds up the goblet and blesses it, handing the cup to Sha'uri.

"Do you, Sha'uri, promise to support Triv, mind, body and soul and to act as a unit of one with him for as long as you both exist in the mortal realm? If so, sip from the cup of marriage."

Sha'uri kept shifting her gaze between Corellon and Triv, giving Triv a smile before she took that cup from Corellon and sipped.

Corellon took the cup and asked Triv the same thing.. handing him the cup as well.

"Do you, Triv, promise to support Sha'uri, mind, body and soul and to act as a unit of one with her for as long as you both exist in the mortal realm? If so, sip from the cup of marriage."

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-11 20:33 EST

Triv smiled back at Sha'uri as she drank from the cup. It still hadn't really hit him that he was getting married. It was like he was watching it all happen to someone else. As he sipped from the cup, Bryce's voice rang in his head.

Chug, chug, chug....

I'm going to hurt that boy....

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 20:45 EST

Sha'uri caught something between Triv and Bryce, and gave them the I'm going to kick you both look.

"Good. Now we have to signify a merging of two into one...."
Corellon suddenly seemed strained as if trying not to grin. He took the cup from Triv and place it aside. Then moved the big ornately etched candle between Sha'uri and Triv. It wasn't lit. To either side, he placed normal candles that were lit.

"Both of you take a candle and bring the flames together above the wick of the larger one. Then together light the larger candle. This is a symbol of both of you becoming as one. In other words, it's like discarding the your stuff my stuff syndrome for the Our stuff one. In this your souls will begin to merge.. "

Sha'uri picked up the candle before her and held it over the larger one, waiting for Triv to unite his with hers.

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-11 21:04 EST

Bryce had to bite the inside of his jaw to keep from laughing. He caught the look from his mother and smiled sheepishly. It seemed any further taunting would be hazardous to his health.

Triv picked up his own candle and joined the flame with that of Sha'uri's candle before slowly bringing it down to light the big candle. As the wick caught, the candle began to glow brightly. The brilliance grew until it engulfed both Triv and Sha'uri. It continued to brighten until it was almost unbearable before fading back to normal. Triv blinked tears out his eyes. He could... feel her now. It was still faint but it was the best feeling Triv had ever experienced.

Even Bryce was subdued after watching the bonding. Just witnessing the magic take hold was a humbling experience.

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 21:35 EST

Corellon took the candles from them and blew them out.

"The elven bonding is a choice you both made. Once melded, it is unbreakable save for the permanent death of one from this mortal realm. I explain that permanent death is not just death, for one can be ressurected several times over... Permanent death is the decision to stay from this mortal realm of existence."

He gave that a moment before he continued.

"Our next step is for you to meld this permanently, sealed by the rings which signify your undying love to one another and the promises you've made to unify in mind, body and soul. There is no turning back, no unsealing."

He let that sink in while he picked up the simple platinum rings etched with his symbol and the birthstones of each set into each ring. They were identical save for her band was thinner. He handed Triv Sha'uri's ring and to Sha'uri he gave Triv's.

"Sha'uri, do you take Triv as your husband, your soul mate, your love and gaurdian of your life for the remainder of his existence in this realm until death permanently takes him away from you?"

Sha'uri couldnt' wipe the smile off her face, feeling that spark of bond begin. She almost didn't hear Corellon ask his question,but the nudge from Alex brought her round in time. She glanced to her Lord, then to Triv and without a doubt replied,

"I do."

"Triv, do you take Sha'uri as your wife, your soul mate, your love and gaurdian of your life for the remainder of her existence in this realm until death permanently takes her away from you?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-11 22:05 EST

Triv took the ring. His own smile mirrored Sha'uri's. "I do," he said without taking his eyes off of her.

Corellon nodded. "Now exchange rings and repeat after me." Corellon then recited the vows, pausing every so often to allow the couple repeat them. "Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you, For where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people, and your God will be my God. And where you die, I will die and there I will be buried. May the Lord do with me and more if anything but death parts you from me."

Triv slipped the ring on her finger and recited the vows along with her.

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 22:24 EST

She had heard these words before, even empowered others to repeat them as Corellon was now empowering her and Triv. But to say them for herself, to hear him say the vows... it never really sank into her head until now the depth of the vows she was now repeating with Triv.

The rings warmed upon their fingers, sealing the bond between them. She had no words to say, no thought, just the feel and the knowing of him, her husband. Nothing else mattered in that moment.

She could hear Corellon's voice as if a mile away, nothing was registering in her head. It wasn't until Alex nudged her gently that she was even aware of others. It was all she could even do to pull her gaze away from Triv and look up at Corellon who was grinning from ear to ear, emerald hues sparkled with mirth.

"I said, you're now husband and wife. What are you waiting for.. a cold day in hell to kiss? .... Mr and Mrs Triv Adaron.. Congratulations."

She wasn't waiting for him, no... her gaze came back to Triv as she leaned in to initiate the sweet passion of that kiss.

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-11 22:42 EST

Alex smiled and mouthed the words, there they go again. He rolled his eyes ever so briefly and gave them a few moments before he cleared his throat.

"Should I have ops teleport you two to your room again?"

Corellon withdrew, fading from view as he left them alone to unite as a family.

In his place was a very dazed Priest, the one Corellon used to shift into in order to perform the task. He was an elderly elf with silver hair and some wrinkles. His eyes were a coppery hue. Atop the alter was a marriage certificate complete with Corellon's mark, clearly left there by the God himself. The old Priest was still puzzled as he gazed at the couple for a moment, then down to the parchment, slowly picking it up to gaze around some more. He picked up the pen and read the inscription, then added his name to the required signatures below, officializing the marriage between the two. He was still dazed, but now knew what had happened to the last hour of his life. It was an honor few ever had privileage to.

"Not until they sign the document.. the official document." He tapped the paper with the pen. "Ahem... tonight, in preference."

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-12 14:39 EST

Triv put his arms around Sha'uri as their lips met. Everything was lost in that moment. He didn't hear Alex clear his throat or the priest talking about documents. He didn't know anything until Bryce tapped him on the shoulder.

"Okay, you two. Don't make me get hose."

Triv grinned and pulled away from Sha'uri. He blinked at the priest of a moment before realized Corellon must have gone back to...wherever he lived. He took the pen and looked over the document for a second before singing his name. "I guess that makes it official." He passed the pen to his new wife.

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-12 15:11 EST

Teleport... What?.. where? What hose? Wait? But, where?

Her thoughts were a bit blurry as Triv pulled away. The earth didn't come back into focus until she watched Triv take the pen and sign his name. Grin.

"Oh, yeah, I guess we better do that part, too."

She took the pen and signed her name .. her new name.. right below his.

"Married this day, February 10th, 2007."

She set the pen down and grinned with a devilish twinkle in her eyes, peering back up at Triv.
"You're all mine now. You can't run away... can't hide... your stuck.. all mine."
She was bragging, and happy, and jumping up a bit to wrap her arms round his neck for a big 'ol hug.

AlexArrowny · Date: 2007-03-13 15:33 EST

Alex took the pen next at the prompt of the Priest, signing his name as a witness, then passed the pen to his Brother.
"You're next, Bryce.. You do know how to write your name, right?"
Alex nudged the pen into his brother's hand with mirth sparked in his eyes. He then moved in time to avoid the expected punch and waited for his parents.... the realization hit him just then.
"I have a Dad now..."
It appeared he didn't know how to react to that.

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-15 08:05 EST

Triv grinned. "Yep. You got me. No more traveling for me. The question is: Can you handle having me around all the time?" He kissed her again. They were officially a family now and he couldn't be happier.

"Ha ha ha," Bryce laughed sarcastically at his brother and sheathed his sword. "You know," he said as he took the pen and signed his name with a flourish. "Not many people get to be a witness at their parents' wedding." He handed the pen and the document to the priest.

"I have a Dad now..."

"That you do, Big Brother. You need him to give you the 'Birds and the Bees' speech? Or maybe he can drag you all over Exodii?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-15 18:08 EST

She kissed him back, rubbing her nose against his.
"Well, I guess we'll find out won't we..."

Her gaze feigned a frown as it shot towards Bryce.
"Hey now! Not all of you are around.... yet."

She realized she hadn't told the boys yet.
"You've still got a sibling on the way..."

AlexArrowny · Date: 2007-03-20 15:39 EST

Alex merely shot his brother a look, though a grinning one. He was going to make some sarcastic comment, mouth open and everything, when his mother nonchallantly added her comment. He froze there for a moment and then slowly closed his mouth, looking between his parents.

"Birds and bees, huh? Wow, you two don't waist any time... went walking on the fast track, eh?"

He winked.

"Seriously, that's great!"

He was already thinking about Bryce having someone else to pick on... if it was a boy..... or another little sister to protect.

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-25 20:49 EST

Bryce's eyebrows shot up as he looked at Triv. "You trying to start your own army or something?" He grinned and slapped his father on the back. "But congratulations. It'll be nice to have a younger sibling."

* * * * *

The next week, Triv was down in the training room with Mick. They had been training together for most of the day. Now, Triv leaned on his wooden sword as he tried to catch his breath. "Mick," he said. "I'm suddenly very glad we're on the same side." He wiped the sweat off his forehead. "So, what does a man have to do to become a guard, anyway?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-25 21:52 EST

Mick just grinned, egging Triv on, keeping an eye on that sword. Mick was just as glad they were on the same side as Triv was ... Mick was just as covered in sweat and dirt as the so called Lord of the Castle.

~Sleep with the Queen of the Citadel?~

He got out of the way before said sword was launched too close to him.

~Just kidding! Whoa! Just a joke there... Come on now..~

He motioned for a break and spot along the bench as a servant came out with cold drinks... the usual energy drink concoction, good for you stuff that always seemed to quench a real thirst. Mick liked them, something about that gensing.

~Seriously,~

... and he was serious...

~.... close knit camaraderie with the rest to the point that not even your thoughts are guarded from each other, especially from the Head of the Citadel.. your wife. That's loyalty. Don't get me wrong, we don't pry when we shouldn't. We all understand that there is a private life and private thougths not meant for everyone.. but when the need arises, we're open like books to one another. And not all of us have the gift of thought sensing, though most of us do. We're like bees in a hive and she's the queen, helping to coordinate us all. Any one of us would die for her, her family, the people here, this Citadel, the defense of anything and everything connected with Exodii. It's what we do.~

Mick nodded firmly and took a nice long sip of that energy drink.

~You want to become a guard? With the way you fight... you definitely deserve a shot at it. There's only one other catch... you have to learn to deal with all that technology...~

Grin.

Trivial · Date: 2007-03-26 07:21 EST

Triv smirked as Mick dodged the thrown sword. "Just making sure you're still paying attention." He took a seat next to Mick and took a large gulp from his glass. "I'm no stranger to fighting as a unit and, of course, loyalty isn't a problem. I'd be fighting for my own wife." He took another sip. "But it's good to know we're well protected here." If all the other guards were anything like Mick, it'd take one hell of an army to take the Citadel down.

There's only one other catch... you have to learn to deal with all that technology...

Triv cringed. "You know, I don't see the point in all these 'phaser rifles' and 'computers' and whatnot. We've managed to conduct many respectable wars back home and we never had any of that stuff." He took another sip of the energy drink and shook his head. "Besides, isn't it all just a bit cowardly? Push a button and your enemy dies before he's close enough to get a decent look at you." He sighed. "Where's the fun in that?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-03-26 15:21 EST

~Yeah, I tried to argue that very same point until Sha'uri pointed out the error of my thinking. Like you, I prefere close quarter, hand to hand combat. I like the feel of it.. the thrill of sheer physical brute force at work in my favor. That doesn't mean the enemy will.~

He sipped again, enjoying the refreshing mango flavor, allowing his thoughts to pause as one would in actual speech. Mick was mute and had learned to curb his thoughts similar to speech patterns. The two were sometimes very different.

~We both know how wars are won by intelligence and wisdom of strategy. Why do something one way when another will do a more effective job? The more someone wants to win, the more they are willing to go to lengths beyond their normal means in order to win. If they know they can't win by brute force, they'll use other means to win... like using a phaser or long range gun. The sooner you put them in their place, the sooner the war is over. One cannot hope to win any wars unless they keep up with or surpass their enemies, especially when those enemies come not from your own planet but from places much further then that. It either takes great magic or technology to traverse from planet to planet. Make sense?~

Mick sipped his drink and brought the cool container to his forehead.

~As for why our guards use them on patrol round the castle towers ... well, to protect from really big monsters, especially the kind that'll roam on our land when we're set down like this. I'm sure you came across some interesting ones during your journey with Bryce. Secak was the home of many odd and experimental creatures, some amazing and other just plain terrifying.~

He nodded.

~Course, in the warmer months when we usually float up in the clouds, it's the big flying things you gotta look out for. Cowardly? I'd like to think smartly. It's never a good day to end up in the belly of a giant purple worm or worse...tyrannosaurs. Sometimes even a ferral dragon with no manners. We get them occasionally, usually the one's that are diseased or not quite right in the head, none other would dare attack. When that happens, you should see your wife in action. Have you ever seen her take on a dragon while she's in dragon form? I did, once.. it was increadible. It was the first time I ever felt dragon fear, thought I was going to piss my pants. ~

Mick laughed at himself, which actually held some sound to it though muted and deformed compared to others. At least he could laugh now anyway. He loved relaying stories about his battle scars ...

~See, There I was facing off with the attacking dragon, a green who was bent on getting me into his belly and in a swift move had me pinned down on my back, talon piercing my leg ... That's not what had me almost pissing my pants, it was your wife. See, I was ready to lop off that other dragon's tongue when another showed up, twice as big... and I thought I was a gonner! I could see me half in one dragon belly, the other half of me in the other dragon belly. I didn't know the second one was Sha'uri. She swooped in and just barely missed me, caught a good chunk of the other dragon's jaw while she dragged it away from me. I heard her voice in my mind telling me to run... and that's when I knew she was the other dragon. I never question her orders... if I did, I would've been crushed by their brutal battle. There's still a scar in the land just north of the pond. I'll show it to you sometime. Got a scar on my left upper thigh. It was lucky he missed the bone completely but it went all the way through. What about you? Got any battle scar stories?~

Trivial · Date: 2007-04-12 20:32 EST

Triv grinned. "Oh man. That sounds brutal."

~What about you? Got any battle scar stories?~

"Hmm... Well, I was killed and had my soul trapped in a gemstone once. Does that count?" Triv laughed at Mick's blank look and slapped him on the back. "Alright alright. So I'll learn all the technology stuff. Sha'uri has been helping me with some of it and Bryce or Alex could give me some pointers on the weapons. I'm guessing there's some formal training I need to go through, right? Some kind of test I need to pass? Who do I need to talk to for that?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-04-13 23:07 EST

"I'm guessing there's some formal training I need to go through, right? Some kind of test I need to pass? Who do I need to talk to for that?"

Mick nodded.
~Alex will set you straight.~

He took another sip, grinning with such a devilish smile one might think he was a devil's denizen instead of Sha'uri's guard.

~You're not getting off that easy... tell me about the gem, Triv. I want to hear all about it.~

AlexArrowny · Date: 2007-04-13 23:21 EST

"Yes, dO tell!"

Alex had snuck up on the elder Adaron and clasped Triv on the shoulder, announcing his presence. Obviously, he was the reason Mick was grinning the way he was for the same smile was present on Alex' visage. He chuckled lightly and gave a nod of his head.

"Has Mick been telling you his war stories? He's got a few good ones, I'll admit. I'm just glad he's on our side."

Alex sipped his own drink before he continued with the real reason he was there.

"I hear you want some training..."

Trivial · Date: 2007-04-30 23:56 EST

Triv motioned for Alex to sit down. "Ah, Alex. Just the man I need to see. Have a seat, son. Mick and I were just swapping battle stories." He finished off his drink and turned back to Mick. "The gem was much like I'd imagine the Abyss to be. No walls, no floor, no sky. Just an endless red mist. I had no sense of time at all but the necromancer that trapped me there had made sure I wouldn't get bored. I battled all manner of strange beasties. I was technically already dead so none of them could actually kill me but I still felt pain. I was actually in the middle of a fight with a hell-hound when Dwyndan and Bryce destroyed the gem, releasing me from my prison." He shook his head and turned back to Alex. "Anyway, Mick here tells me I need to learn to use those new-fangled weapons you all got. Think you could help me out there?"

((sorry for the delay. Hectic around here lately))

AlexArrowny · Date: 2007-05-01 18:55 EST

A sparkle in his eyes as he smiled, both for the two, Triv and Mick, getting along so well, and for the label of son bestowed upon him. It gave him a certain sense of belonging. He liked Triv calling him son. Alex sat down next to Triv and listened to his story, a part of it he'd not heard before. He couldn't even imagine what it was like to be there, and all that pain... Alex shook the thought away, returning his attention to Triv.

"I can. I'll have you placed in the class with the next group of recruits, which will start in a few weeks. Classes are like basic training in an army, for both physical conditioning and learning of computer systems, protocol, chain of command and so forth. Some of the recruits have been through some of this already; they seem to make a career out of trying to make the grade for a Guard."

Alex shrugged.

"No offense, but some are as clueless as you are about the systems, computers and technically advanced toys. We actually get some recruits from the more primitive Nomads who don't have any of this where they live. They seemed to have had or are having a split in their nation, old ways vs technology. So some of them have been relocating here. Anyway, I'm sure you have the physical already beat and then some. You could provide a unique aspect to this group, perhaps teach them a few unique combative moves, like things we don't seem to be teaching. We're always looking to improve our methods. Sound reasonable?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-05-06 06:43 EST

Triv grinned. "That sounds great, Alex. I can't wait to get started. It'll be good to be back in the military." He stood and stretched his tired muscles as he retrieved his wooden sword. "So you have no standing army here? Only the guards? From what I've seen, the guards are indeed very elite but there doesn't seem to be enough of them to carry out a respectable war." He swung the sword around a bit, cooling down after the workout so he wouldn't get cramps. "Don't get me wrong, they're more than enough to defend the citadel if it comes under attack. The citadel is built well. Five men and a good dog could probably hold off an army indefinitely."

He went through some simple sword forms as he spoke. "All the guards can't be perfect at everything, though. Are there different divisions? Scouts, snipers, even....assassins?" Triv spun and seemed to jab his elbow at nothing.

Bryce appeared as his father's elbow made contact with his stomach. He fell to his knees and dropped the stiletto dagger he'd been holding.

Triv just shook his head at his son. "Give it up, Bryce. You'll never get an old dog like me."

Bryce managed to speak between coughs. "Almost....had you...that time."

Triv scoffed. "Not even close." He bent to help Bryce to his feet. "C'mon now. Walk it off. 'atta boy."

Bryce got unsteadily to his feet. "How did you know?"

Triv shrugged. "I just sensed you. Most people rely only on only a few of their senses at a time. As a warrior you must learn to listen to all your senses all the time, even when you're not thinking about it." Triv turned back to Mick and Alex. "Bryce here is an excellent fighter and spell caster but he still has much to learn about being a true warrior."

AlexArrowny · Date: 2007-05-06 19:49 EST

"Divisions? As a matter of fact, ......"

His words cut off by the antics of Father and Son, though a thoughtful look was given, studying Triv.

"Are you sure you don't have any psionic ability?"

Thoughtful pause.

"Or sensitivity to the forces surrounding us? As in, the Force. Bryce was exceptionally quiet in his approach, a well done effort Brother, even by the experts of such things... we usually use the Nomads for scouting and recon and your efforts were as quiet as most of them ... how was it then, Triv, that you did notice him there? What really gave him away?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-05-06 20:54 EST

Triv shook his head. "It's nothing that anyone can't learn to do. The invisibility spell made it so I couldn't see him and, yes, he was very quiet so I couldn't hear him. But that's only two of our senses. What of the other three? With some training and experience, anyone can learn to sense disturbances in the air around us. Also, everyone has a unique smell, you just have to learn to recognize it. With Bryce, I smelled the saddle soap he uses for his armor and that oil he uses to keep his hair slicked back all nice and smooth like that." Triv winked at Bryce. "I fear my son is a bit too vain."

"Hey," Bryce said having finally caught his breath. "It takes a lot of work to look this good." He retrieved his dagger, a gift from Dwyndan, and returned it to it's sheath at his boot.

Triv returned his attention to Alex. "I assure you, I have no psionic ability that I'm aware of. I've often wondered if everyone doesn't have a sixth sense that they are not aware of. Perhaps experience has just allowed me to unlock this sixth sense." He shrugged. "I doesn't really matter, I guess. All that matters is that it works...most of the time."

Shauri · Date: 2007-05-06 21:25 EST

Was that the scent of his wife? It was brief as the wind shifted, blowing it away. Triv suddenly felt hands slip under his arms, though they were at an odd angle. STrong enough to lift him up into the air, Triv could look up and see his captor's nose leading into sapphire hues twinkling with mirth as she dangled floating upside down above him. She was taking him up for a ride.

"You were saying?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-05-06 21:46 EST

Triv dropped the wooden sword as he was lifted up in the air. "As you can see," he called back down to the group on the ground. "No matter how good you are..." He paused long enough to kiss her soundly. "There's always someone better." He grinned at Sha'uri. "I think Bryce is trying to learn from me what he should be learning from his mother." He kissed her again. "We were just discussing my education and inception with the guards. Anything you'd like to add?"

Shauri · Date: 2007-05-06 21:55 EST

Giggling as she was kissed, she manuevered down, and Triv up, shifting to be facing him and upright, putting her arms round his neck.

"We were just discussing my education and inception with the guards. Anything you'd like to add?"

Wicked smile.

"Antigravity!"

The arcane word spoken blanketed the Training room with the absence of gravity. The wooden practice sword began to float.

"Wanna dance?"

Trivial · Date: 2007-05-07 06:32 EST

Triv laughed and kissed her on the neck. "I don't dance so well on the ground. I'm not sure I even want to try it floating around like this."

"C'mon Dad, it's easy." Bryce pushed off a wall and tucked his knees to his chest, rolling toward the opposite wall. "Whee!"

Triv shook his head at Bryce before meeting Sha'uri's gaze. "Your son tried to assassinate me a minute ago. You really should talk him into finding a new hobby before I have to hurt him."

Bryce scoffed as he braced his legs against the wall. "Hey, Alex!" He launched himself towards his brother, aiming for his midsection. "Bonsai!"

Shauri · Date: 2007-05-07 19:57 EST

"Stop procrastinating! Or you'll turn into an old fart..." She laughed and kissed Triv quickly.

Holding onto his left hand, not letting go, she shoved him away gently, stretching out her arms to her sides until he was as far as their arms would allow. Then she tugged him swiftly back to her, turning herself around so his arm wrapped round her. The momentum had them both spinning round.

"I think Bryce is about to get a lesson in relativity." giggling. "Now, Spin me away but don't let go of my hand."

AlexArrowny · Date: 2007-05-07 20:24 EST

He laughed as Triv was pulled up by his mother. She almost always had good timing. But he was not so convinced Triv didn't have some kind of Psionic thing going on. After all, his mother had been here..

"Bring it on!"

Alex saw his brother aiming for him and sent a silent message while he launched himself away from Bryce and towards the wall, ready to shift his course in a new direction.

~Mick! Demolition!~

Mick didn't respond except to launch himself towards Bryce from the unsuspecting side. His powerful legs gave him the advantage. With his trajectory, he'd smack into Bryce before Bryce could land or change course by normal means.

Trivial · Date: 2007-05-11 06:52 EST

"Hey!" Bryce noticed Mick speeding towards him at the last moment. As Mick neared him, he put a hand on the guard's shoulder and pushed him down and himself up, rolling over the man's back. "That was a dirty trick, brother." He grinned as he floated away. "Can't fight your own battles?"

"Old fart?" Triv laughed and spun her away. "That wasn't very nice." He pulled her back towards him and caught her with his other arm, giving her a nice 'dip'.

Shauri · Date: 2007-05-11 09:15 EST

Oblivious of the comotion around them, she giggled as she was spun out and back to him, her back arched perfectly to his 'dip', head leaned back a moment before brought forward, nose softly touching to Triv's while her arms wrapped round him bringing the two face to face again.

"Nice dip. See, I always knew you could dance just fine. You'll make a great old fart."

Giggling softly, her lips couldn't stay away from his, effectively cutting off his response for the moment as the two spun slowly head over heals direction for the cieling.

AlexArrowny · Date: 2007-05-13 20:47 EST

"I just know how to use what's at my disposal.. as a part of me."

Mick bounced off the wall and shifted trajectory in Alex' direction.

Alex bounced off the wall and also shifted trajectory in Mick's direction, though he curled up in a ball as he neared.

Mick caught hold of Alex by the belt and swung him round and round, building momentum, and (tossed) let him go speeding swiflty in Bryce's direction, which sent Mick back towards the wall again.......

.......and Alex went speeding swiftly at Bryce, waiting until the last second to bring his legs out to kick him aiming square for the chest.

Topic: Homecoming...

Trivial

Trivial

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri

Shauri

Trivial

Shauri