Mariel returned his smile and gave a soft sigh as she chose the most important questions to ask him first. From the spark in his own eyes, Mariel could tell that he too had a plethora of thoughts and questions to ask her. She giggled softly, then shivered as his fingertips grazed her shoulder as he pushed her hair behind her.
"Well, sir. When I look into your eyes, I see....adventure, and yet also a longing for a home. So, naturally, I am curious to see if we would..."
Her voice trailed off and she blushed as she realized what she was saying. But before he could catch it, she quickly answered his other questions.
"Speaking of a home....I...well....I do not have one yet. Of course when my husband and I were first married, I considered Minas Tirith my home, but now, I...I suppose....well...."
Her voice carried her off into a distant memory, and as she stared at his chest, her face contorted into contentment as memories of her childhood played in her mind. After a moment, she blinked, then she began to draw circles on his chest.
"My childhood home was in one of the villages of Cardolan. We lived near the South Downs."

Mariel let out a gentle breath as she felt Durians' hand slide down her arm, and when he rested his hand on her hip, she lowered herself back onto her side and allowed her eyes to close from weariness.
"Aye, with you, I could make my home anywhere."

Once Mariel had turned her back to Durian, she fell fast asleep and dreamed of the man that she was falling in love with. After a few hours, the sun rose and cast away all the darkness of night, and Mariel stirred as she felt the sunlight stream in through the window and hit her face.
Mariel shifted on the bed and as she stretched and opened her eyes, she couldn't help but smile as she recall who laid next to her. Her eyes caught his as she turned to face him, and she felt a blush rise to her cheeks as he traced shapes on her stomach.
"Good morning, sir Durian."
She smiled kindly as she brushed her fingers up and down his forearm.
"Do you want to know something?" She then faced him and spoke softly.
"These kinds of mornings are a favorite of mine."

Durian smiled at Mariel. He caressed her lightly and finally said,

"It looks the fog is light and burning off already! This morning is one much better than I could have dreamed!"

Durian didn't move, for he didn't want to break the seeming magic that had descended upon them. He finally said as his fingers drifted around on her,

"May we find many more mornings like this one Lady Miriel. Each one better then the last."

He felt renewed, as if an old life had fallen away and a new life had come to him. His vision of Sarana smiled upon him, and he smiled back. He could very well love this woman Mariel, in fact she had already found the long and winding trail that led to the center of his heart.

(I think you caught me out editing. Wasn't expecting you to post at 3AM!)

Mariel blinked her heavy eyelids and smiled at Durian. She then studied the features on his face, as if committing them to memory in case she would not ever see him again.
She shivered as she felt his fingers trace up her bare arm and shoulder, and as he spoke, she felt as if she were in a dream.
"Sir, I do not think we will be hard pressed to not find ourselves in mornings such as these. But how could anything be better than this?"
A playful spark gleamed slightly in her eye.

(Looks like I came back just in time for morning. Sorry for my abbsence I have been sick and slept away the past 24 hours after I got off work yesterday)


Early that morning Calypso strode out into the main room of the inn and took a seat awaiting breakfast... seemingly. Really what she awaited was the other guests. She had not realized that one of them was already up, outside, and working.

The old man had got an early start on his windows and by the time the sun broke the horizon he was on his next to last... having skipped a window a ways back where constant talking seemed to be from a man and a women. He smiled at the new friendship. Love... such a thing. Perhaps the ranger would feel himself duty blund to help the young women with the quest she had agreed to help the old man with.

Then, of course there were the two late comers. The old man had yet to inquire of them.

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Visit The Varsian Kingdom!

Mariel sighed as she rested her head on his shoulder; she felt so relaxed, with him brushing his fingers through her hair, that she nearly fell asleep again. It was after his fingers ran through her hair a second time that she jumped and let out a small laugh. When she looked down at him, she could see the mischief in his eyes.
Her eyes widened and her brows raised as she spoke carefully to him.
"No...don't you dare, sir....."
She bit her lip and couldn't help the smile that made its' way to her lips.
"If you do, then I will not allow you another morning with me..."

The old man had finished his windows... all wxcept the one the couple was in. With a shruggle and a giggle he went ahead and headed right over to the window, measuring, hamerig, cuting, fitting... all as if the two in the room dod not exist.

Calypso thanked Caila for the breakfast and paid her. For the time she sat and ate slowly, waiting and watching.

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Visit The Varsian Kingdom!

Lwelyn woke that morning, feeling warmer than he had in months. One of the innkeepers brought him a bowl of beans and he took it, eating quickly. He glanced at the innkeeper warily, no one was this nice and didn't want anything. What did they want from him? Lwelyn ran a finger down the scar that sliced down his left hand. Fear flashed in his eyes and he gripped his bag, determined to leave very soon.

Mariel batted her eyelashes open as the sound of hammering and the sawing of wood abruptly sounded just outside their room. A small smile found its' way to her lips as she looked down on Durian. He was so rugged, and he appeared weary and yet he looked lightened somehow, as if some burden had been lifted. Her forehead wrinkled as she became lost in her thoughts, but she nodded in agreement, then leaned forward and kissed him gently on the cheek.
"Aye, I do believe that we have lost a bit of our privacy to that old man."
She glanced over to the glazier, who continued to work vigorously, then shook her head and carefully got up from the bed. Once she stood, she walked over to her bag and carefully retrieved her dress from the night before. She shivered as a cold draft was let in through the window, but turned around as Durian stood up.
"If you'll excuse me, I need to dress."
She couldn't help the small mischievous smile that found it's way on her mouth.
"I will be out to meet you in a moment."