Alyvia leaned back against a fence rail and watched them. Carina’s fear had melted into joy in that moment and she was having a good time watching her daughter enjoy getting to pet the animal. Her own heart was thudding a bit in her chest but she took a breath to calm it, thinking back to a conversation she’d had with Marie a few days prior. Her eldest daughter had been confused as to why her mother had been so frightened of horse. ”You used to love them. You’d go on rides all the time. Did something happen?”
Trying to remember what might have caused this fear had ended in a blinding migraine that lasted three days and had her out of commission
Really, for the last few months Raphael had been running the Barony due to her being less than herself. She’d been considering handing the reigns over to him for quite a while. It was odd. Alyvia certainly didn’t feel any different but both of her older girls had commented on the change in her. Marjorie seemed concerned at first but adjusted quicker. Marie changed a little after a conversation with Raphael. Alyvia pretended like she didn’t see the looks of pity on her eldest daughter’s face out of the corner of her eye when she didn’t think her mother was looking.
She couldn’t help but smile at Carina all snuggled into the Warden’s side. She watched as he was gentle with her, kind. She hoped in this new life in Ferelden that was all that her daughter knew from men. Anything to break the cycle she’d known. Raphael had stepped in, taking care of his youngest sister, treating her good. She didn’t deserve her son. She really didn’t.
This Warden, Ragnar, she thought she heard him called by others, was a very handsome man. There was no doubting that. Some unbidden thoughts (vague whispers of memories) had her thinking of him in less than savory ways, causing her to blush a bit, something she hoped she could blame on the wind.
Carina was so excited to be petting a horse she was barely paying attention to the two adults. Alyvia smiled and looked over at Ragnar, catching his eyes,
Trying to remember what might have caused this fear had ended in a blinding migraine that lasted three days and had her out of commission
Really, for the last few months Raphael had been running the Barony due to her being less than herself. She’d been considering handing the reigns over to him for quite a while. It was odd. Alyvia certainly didn’t feel any different but both of her older girls had commented on the change in her. Marjorie seemed concerned at first but adjusted quicker. Marie changed a little after a conversation with Raphael. Alyvia pretended like she didn’t see the looks of pity on her eldest daughter’s face out of the corner of her eye when she didn’t think her mother was looking.
She couldn’t help but smile at Carina all snuggled into the Warden’s side. She watched as he was gentle with her, kind. She hoped in this new life in Ferelden that was all that her daughter knew from men. Anything to break the cycle she’d known. Raphael had stepped in, taking care of his youngest sister, treating her good. She didn’t deserve her son. She really didn’t.
Please, call me Alyvia, I’m hardly a baroness anymore,she smiled,
And I do think you definitely went above and beyond anything you needed to do. We were being evacuated in a few days. Though…the unspoken fear of not making it lingered.
This Warden, Ragnar, she thought she heard him called by others, was a very handsome man. There was no doubting that. Some unbidden thoughts (vague whispers of memories) had her thinking of him in less than savory ways, causing her to blush a bit, something she hoped she could blame on the wind.
Carina was so excited to be petting a horse she was barely paying attention to the two adults. Alyvia smiled and looked over at Ragnar, catching his eyes,
Carina, her name is Carina, dear little one…she said tilting her head as she watched them, clocking just how perfect they looked together.
05-12-2023, 12:47 PM
