It was like a mage somewhere had cast a gravity spell to pull her towards him. She smiled as the man held her daughter, something tugging at her heart that was strange and odd. It was almost like Carina belonged in this man’s arms. The way he rested his cheek on her bright platinum locks and ran her hand over the snout of the mare. Her heart was full and aching at the same time and she could feel one of her headaches hovering in the corner waiting to over take her.
That was until she heard the familiar gate of her eldest daughter trudging towards them, snapping her from her thoughts.
Alyvia didn’t understand why her older children seemed so cold to the man who saved their life. If Raphael’s gaze could kill the Grey Warden would probably be dead a dozen times over. Marie was also quite insistent that she not speak to the man. (Mama, he obviously wants something from us. He probably wants to use us and our nobility some way. Just because he’s a Warden does not mean he’s a good man.) Marjorie was the only one who didn’t treat the man with disdain or anger, but to be honest she wasn’t sure Marjorie was sure that the young woman had it in her to be mean to anyone. The closest thing she thought she’d ever seen her daughter do was serve lukewarm tea to someone she didn’t approve of. Carina was the only one of her children who seemed to have any positive amount of interaction with the man and that was cut short when Marie swept her into her arms.
She didn’t blame her daughter for distrusting the men in her mother’s life. Maker knew her father was a piece of work. Her late husband had been cruel and he made no attempt to hide it from their children. In all honestly it seemed like he’d always delighted in cutting her to the quick in front of them, possibly to see their own reactions. She’d often taken her daughters aside and promised them she would do what she could to make sure they didn’t suffer the same fate she did though she couldn’t remember the context of those discussions.
Could she blame them for being protective of her?
Still, Ragnar had done nothing to them but provide them safety and a home so as the man walked away and her daughter stared her down she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose,
”You know I don’t trust him Mama. I think we should keep our distance. this whisper was soft and hushed, but there was an edge of concern and harshness to it. Alyvia lowered her own voice with the full knowledge that Ragnar could probably still hear part of their conversation.
”I-I know that, mama. I know, but—“
”Of course not, mama, but…”
She watched as her daughter looked over at the warden, catching his eye. The girl’s back stiffened with a courage and resolution that Alyvia wish she had (still had, she’d had it once before if only it wasn’t wrapped up in her hidden memories). She seemed to be looking right at Ragnar, ”I’ll hold you to that, Mama.”
Alyvia sighed and gently turned her daughter’s face towards hers and kissed her and then Carina on the forehead,
Marie sighed and hitched Carina on her hip and Alyvia smiled as the toddler waved a pudgy hand at the warden in goodbye. The former baroness shook her head, rubbing the back of her neck as she leaned against the paddock post,
That was until she heard the familiar gate of her eldest daughter trudging towards them, snapping her from her thoughts.
Alyvia didn’t understand why her older children seemed so cold to the man who saved their life. If Raphael’s gaze could kill the Grey Warden would probably be dead a dozen times over. Marie was also quite insistent that she not speak to the man. (Mama, he obviously wants something from us. He probably wants to use us and our nobility some way. Just because he’s a Warden does not mean he’s a good man.) Marjorie was the only one who didn’t treat the man with disdain or anger, but to be honest she wasn’t sure Marjorie was sure that the young woman had it in her to be mean to anyone. The closest thing she thought she’d ever seen her daughter do was serve lukewarm tea to someone she didn’t approve of. Carina was the only one of her children who seemed to have any positive amount of interaction with the man and that was cut short when Marie swept her into her arms.
She didn’t blame her daughter for distrusting the men in her mother’s life. Maker knew her father was a piece of work. Her late husband had been cruel and he made no attempt to hide it from their children. In all honestly it seemed like he’d always delighted in cutting her to the quick in front of them, possibly to see their own reactions. She’d often taken her daughters aside and promised them she would do what she could to make sure they didn’t suffer the same fate she did though she couldn’t remember the context of those discussions.
Could she blame them for being protective of her?
Still, Ragnar had done nothing to them but provide them safety and a home so as the man walked away and her daughter stared her down she sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose,
Marie, dear, what can I help you with?
”You know I don’t trust him Mama. I think we should keep our distance. this whisper was soft and hushed, but there was an edge of concern and harshness to it. Alyvia lowered her own voice with the full knowledge that Ragnar could probably still hear part of their conversation.
I am quite aware of that Marie, though I’ve told you time and time again I am quite capable of taking care of myself.
”I-I know that, mama. I know, but—“
Marie, if you know something I do not about that warden tell me now, but if this is just fear for your mother…she sighed and reached to cup her daughter’s cheek,
I had no choice but to marry your father and I don’t regret it because it gave me you and your siblings. But… I can assure you I have no intentions of letting a man treat me the way he did ever again. Besides, I am not even thinking of anything like that right now. I am just being kind to the man who saved my children. Do you blame me for that?
”Of course not, mama, but…”
No buts, my darling. How about this— if— and only if this man becomes a threat to any of us, myself included, I will personally let you and your brother handle him? I know you’ll be able to. You two can do anything. How does that sound?She didn’t think it would come to that but she felt like this might be a balm to her daughter.
She watched as her daughter looked over at the warden, catching his eye. The girl’s back stiffened with a courage and resolution that Alyvia wish she had (still had, she’d had it once before if only it wasn’t wrapped up in her hidden memories). She seemed to be looking right at Ragnar, ”I’ll hold you to that, Mama.”
Alyvia sighed and gently turned her daughter’s face towards hers and kissed her and then Carina on the forehead,
Take your sister inside and wash her up for dinner. I want to talk to the Warden about maybe arranging riding lessons with someone for her— ah ah—no arguing. Go.
Marie sighed and hitched Carina on her hip and Alyvia smiled as the toddler waved a pudgy hand at the warden in goodbye. The former baroness shook her head, rubbing the back of her neck as she leaned against the paddock post,
I’m so sorry about that. Marie and her older brother are… protective. My late husband was quite… a monster if I’m honest. They don’t want to see me hurt.
10-28-2023, 02:54 PM
