Closed | The journey goes on as your love ever nears

[mythalenaste]

WHO: Pel and YOU
WHAT: Arriving back at Kirkwall
WHEN: Early Firstfall
WHERE: Kirkwall
NOTES: Pel would have written to her close CR to let them know she's coming back, so if you think your character would have known about this, assume she wrote! Prompts written by request.

Closed to Close CR

The woman who steps to the dock from the boat is scarcely changed from the woman who, nigh-on a year ago, stepped from the dock to the boat. Her hair is a little lighter, perhaps, and plaited down her back instead of on each side. There is more lean muscle, a body harder and sturdier than ever before. She is not wearing armor at present, but she does carry a unique sword, which few saw before she left--an ancient elven blade with a hilt long enough to effectively double as a staff. Nevertheless, she has changed. Her heart has grown, her mind has stretched, her decision to live quietly as possible exchanged for the certainty that she must do more than study in order for this war to be won. It is not a joyful certainty. She wanted to continue in peace with no greater worry than raising a child, but that would not be realistic. If she falls in battle, she prays Sina will forgive her.

It is the child she hoisted up to the dock who has changed. Little Sina walks straight up to a total stranger and hugs his legs, her host of white, wild curls mussed from the journey.

"No-no," Pel says quickly, taking the toddler's hand, "that's not your lethallen." She steers her daughter in the direction of the nearest greeter--you. Sina immediately transfers her embrace to the correct person this time, despite not recognizing you any better than the random stranger.

"This is your lethallen," Pel says with a grin.

Comments

[byblow]

Little Sina would be little by any standard, but attached to Alistair's leg she's practically a speck. He's seen bigger cats. So of course what he says is: "Maker, you're enormous."

He then promptly halves their height difference by sitting down on the ground in front of her, entranced enough to ignore anyone who might think he's being undignified even more than he would usually ignore them.

"What has your mother been feeding you?" he asks, and cuts a look up at Pel, because he doesn't actually expect Sina to answer. Not coherently. "Extract of giant?"

[mythalenaste]

Sina promptly plops herself into Alistair’s lap. Pel grins.

“I can hardly believe it, it happened so fast. Though you look the same.”

She bends down to hug Alistair tightly.

[byblow]

If not for the sword, Alistair might drag Pel down onto the ground too, but since there is a sword involved—sheathed or not, still unwieldy—he settles for wrapping one arm around her shoulders while she bends. (The other hand stays on the baby's back, even though she's probably big enough not to need support, because no matter what he says, she's so small.)

"What," he says. "I completely changed my hair."

He hasn't changed his hair.

[mythalenaste]

After a beat, Pel’s fingers tousle Alistair’s hair a little. “More grey in it, maybe.”

[byblow]

“What?” he says again, and—largely for the benefit of the baby—makes a show of rolling his eyes around trying to look at his own hair. No success there, obviously. “Liar.”

Maybe. Maybe not. He hasn’t gotten a good look at the top of his head since, you know, ever.

He lifts his knee to give Sina a bounce.

“Don’t be cruel in front of the baby.”