[Nexus] HT's plots

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Renetta stands to meet her uncle. "It's so good to see you again, Uncle. I missed you." She definitely seems much less broken up than Gamaliel might have expected.

"Violence is the least of the problems you cause." Ardrim says with a touch more restraint.

[happyturtle]

Mother Soon's Journey

"Ardrim, you forget yourself." Gamaliel says sternly, with the authority of being the head of the family. "We would not have Renetta with us if not for her companion's care." He faces Waterstrider directly now. "If you have not yet earned your name, you are surely worthy of one now."

It seems the scholar knows something of Wolfen. It's also a much more subtle form of bribery, though it's genuinely meant. The elf is indeed very grateful to Waterstrider and believes he should be rewarded. But he still agrees completely with his brother that Waterstrider has no place in Renetta's life in the long-term. He simply knows that Ardrim's methods are both cruel and likely to backfire.

Renetta will probably feel that her uncle is shaky on his feet and leaning on his staff more than he used to. The grief of the past year - the searching, the despair, the gradual acceptance that she was probably lost forever - took its toll on his health.

And the stairs didn't help.

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider is a bit surprised at the compliment, but he hadn't come here just for a name. He was here for Renetta. "I have already earned it. Waterstrider. And while I'm thankful for the honor, I am not here on a Name-Quest."

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

"You should sit down uncle." There is a chair nearby, and Renetta goes and slides it over to him.

She goes to stand by Waterstrider again, quite close, looking defiantly at her Father. "Father, I don't care what you say. You can't make Waterstrider go if he doesn't want to, and... you can't make me stay."

Ardrim opens his mouth to says something, but it's Lydia that speaks first. "Renetta, you're not thinking straight. No one can blame you for that, of course. This is your home, we're your family."

[happyturtle]

Mother Soon's Journey

"Not every Name-Quest is a planned one though, yes?" Gamaliel says, and he accepts the chair gratefully. "But I thank you, Waterstrider, for protecting Renetta and bringing her to us. We thought she was dead."

And then, more family friction! More mental facepalming for Uncle Gamaliel.

"Rettie, your parents are having a hard time seeing that you aren't a little girl anymore. Please be patient with them. You know they mean well." He gives Ardrim a 'keep your mouth shut, I am handling this' look. "I believe I have a solution. Renetta, you and Waterstrider will come stay with me, and there will be no more restrictions on your behaviour than there would be for any houseguest of mine." Generally, be a courteous guest, with the added house rules of no food or drink in the rare books room and be careful to keep the floor clear so Uncle Gamaliel won't trip and fall.

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Ardrim does indeed shut his mouth, but he doesn't look happy about it.

"That's very generous, Uncle, but... I'm in love with Waterstrider, and I know- I know we'd never be accepted here." She tries to take the wolfen's paw in her hand. Her eyes water up as she voices that truth.

Lydia gasps and covers her hand with her mouth. Ardrim cn't hepl but speak. "Renetta, that's-" he cuts off and looks at his brother as if to say, what are you going to do about this?

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider takes her hand in his, giving it a squeeze even as his ears fall back in sadness, knowing she's likely just gotten herself kicked out and possibly disowned. "And I love her. Always have. If you cannot accept it, then fine. But at least let us leave in peace."

[happyturtle]

Mother Soon's Journey

Gamaliel closes his eyes, looking pained. This hurts. It was bad enough that her spirit was assaulted, her body abused. Now her heart is going to be broken as well. It's simply not possible that their relationship can have any chance of success. And when Renetta realizes that, it's going to hurt.

It hurts that she feels she has to flee her own family, and that her own parents made her feel like that was the only option. That after being held captive by slavers, she has actual reason to fear being locked up by her own parents.

Most of all it hurts that he's about to lose her again.

Finally he opens his eyes, and looks at Renetta, and his words come from the heart. "Please don't leave yet. Can't you stay at least a little while?"

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Renetta nods slowly. "We can stay for a little bit, but then we have to leave." A tear escapes Renetta's eye and she looks down.

"You can't expect me to just let her leave? With this savage? No, I can't allow this." Ardrim turns on Renetta and Waterstrider. "Renetta, you are staying, and that's final."

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider gives Renetta's father an openly hostile look, fur bristled as he holds the young elf close. He can't help but growl slightly. Even though he called himself a savage, his word had a different meaning to it.

[happyturtle]

Mother-Soon's Journey

"Lydia, please have Samuel bring the carriage around for us. Rettie, is there anything from here you'd like to take with you?" Gamaliel says gently. He needs to talk to Renetta alone, and there's no way that will happen unless she and her - yes, he can admit it to himself - lover feel that they can be out of each other's presence without it risking a forcible separation.

And how dare his brother even consider such a thing?! After everything she's been through? He gives Ardrim a look of extreme displeasure. "Renetta is not to be locked up. Not now. Not ever. Do you understand me, Brother?"

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

"Just some clothes maybe, and the bag I came here with." Perhaps even a couple things her player can't think of off the top of her head. "Thank you, Uncle."

Ardrim is furious, and it shows as he looks at Gamaliel. "...Yes, Brother."

Lydia nods and leaves to do what Gamaliel asked.

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider squeezes Renetta gently to comfort her before turning back to the uncle. "We'll need to pick up the carriage we took on the way here if we can. It's <place he left it near by>."

[happyturtle]

Mother-Soon's Journey

"Of course. I'll meet you in the carriage. It'll take me some time to make it down, and I need to speak to your father." Gamaliel says.

Once the couple has departed (godmod approved), he turns to Ardrim. "Rettie has been completely traumatized. Do you really think ripping her away from the one person who makes her feel safe is going to help?"

He'll start moving towards the steps. Slooooowly. Ow.

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

A servant is probably sent to grab the stuff Renetta wanted as the two leave the house and get into the carriage. Presumably they sit and Renetta puts her arms around Waterstrider. She doesn't say anything for the moment, just tries to fight back the tears.

---

1
Like dutiful brother he is, Ardrim will offer to help Gamaliel with the stairs. He's silent for a moment before saying. "You know as well as I that the wolfen can't be here. It was either he leaves or I lose my daughter."

[happyturtle]

Mother-Soon's Journey

"Of course I do. But if you lock her up and have the Wolfen killed, will that return your daughter to you?" He gives Ardrim a moment to absorb that, taking a couple of painful steps. "If she absolutely cannot be talked out of this 'romance', the worst that can happen is she leaves for a couple of decades. They're short-lived, even more so than humans. It isn't what you want, and it isn't what I want. It would be bad for her, and embarrassing for us. But at least in that time, she'd be alive, and safe. And she'd come back to us after she buried him. It wouldn't be like ... like when we didn't know."

That had been the worst. The not knowing.

"She needs to feel safe again. Until she does, this won't feel like her home. We don't know how broken she is inside. I will speak to her. Once the pregnancy is over, and the worst of it is behind her, she will probably come to her senses. But after everything that's happened to her, please don't do anything that makes her feel afraid. I don't want her to ever be afraid again."

*long slow painful step walking*

Lydia may or may not return in time to hear all or part of this. Though he'll only vaguely allude to ending the pregnancy rather than state it outright if she's there.

((deadtime))

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider holds Renetta close and nuzzles her face to get her tears away. "Renetta, it'll be okay. They'll accept this sooner or later. They're just worried about everything and overwhelmed. They don't know any better." He doesn't mention that later might be forty years, well after his own time has passed.

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Renetta nods. "I- I guess so. I just wish it never had to be like this." She kisses his face and hugs him tighter. "I'm glad you're with me, though. I don't know what I would have done without you."

---

1
Ardrim sighs and nods reluctantly. "Very well. I hope you can talk her out of it. Who knows what can happen in forty years." Of course, he loses the opportunity to marry her off like he'd planned, maybe forever. That's mostly a secondary concern, however.

Lydia does not come back for whatever reason.

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider leans against her kiss with a pleased growl and nibbles at her ear a bit, trying to make her feel better and maybe get a giggle out of her. "You'd be just as strong."

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

The elf does giggle a little and kisses him again. She sighs and rests her head on his shoulder. "I don't know about that. I was ready to give up last night. I thought that I might never see you again, and... I couldn't stand the thought."

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider tries to pull her onto his lap to hold her closer, stroking her stomach gently as he rests his head on her own. "I swore I'd never leave your side unless you wanted me to."

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Renetta has no objections to being pulled onto hiss lap. "I'm glad you did too." After a moment, she puts her hands on his hand on her stomach, intertwining her fingers with his.

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

He looks over her shoulder, resting her muzzle on it as he looks down towards her stomach. "I'm glad I did too." He runs his hands over her, and if she's paying attention, she'll feel two paws moving over her, one where his left one should be.

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Renetta nuzzles against him, smiling contentedly. She looks at his paw- She blinks. Paw? "Waterstrider... I can feel two hands." She's unsurprisingly baffled.

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider holds up his left paw and looks over it. They'll see a faint shimmer in the air that connects to the stump. The Wolfen doesn't pretend to understand, and instead goes back to goes back to stroking her cheek, neck, and stomach, relaxing with her in his arms.

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Renetta looks at the phantom paw in awe. A moment later she nuzzles him again, periodically kissing him. "I love you." She turns to face him a little better.

[happyturtle]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Ardrim sighs and nods reluctantly. "Very well. I hope you can talk her out of it. Who knows what can happen in forty years." Of course, he loses the opportunity to marry her off like he'd planned, maybe forever. That's mostly a secondary concern, however.

Lydia does not come back for whatever reason.

Considering she was presumed dead 24 hours ago, yeah, marrying her off is definitely a secondary concern.

With Ardrim's help, Gamaliel eventually makes it to the ground floor, and looks his brother in the eye. "I love her as if she were mine, but I know I'm not her parent. I wouldn't have interfered if I did if I hadn't believed it necessary." He struggles for breath, still in a lot of pain from the steps. "In a way, what happened to her left you and Lydia violated as well. I know you wouldn't have acted so rashly if you had been able to think clearly." Who knows whether this is true, but Gamaliel believes it at least. "I will do my best, Brother."

And he makes he way out towards the carriage.

With his huffing and puffing, Waterstrider should easily hear him coming. It's up to them whether they want to get caught like they are.

[UncleWolf]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Waterstrider is too distracted to hear Gamaliel approaching. Instead, he contents himself with holding Renetta and giving the nape of her neck a kiss. For Wolfen, it's a gentle bite on the nape of the neck as they don't have appropriate lips. "I love you too."

[Gullara]

[Mother-Soon's Journey]

Ardrim nods slowly. "Goodbye, Gamaliel."

Back at the carriage, Renetta giggles and kisses Waterstrider again. It's just then that Gamaliel arrive. Renetta looks at him blankly for a second, like it doesn't make sense he's there. Her face flushes bright red and she quickly slides off the wolfen's lap. She puts a bit of space in between them for good measure. "Uncle... we were just..." She trails off, rather embarrassed.

[happyturtle]

Mother-Soon's Journey

Gamaliel looks at them both for a moment, then looks away, clearly bothered by it, but not saying anything. His own servant, Paul, has been out checking the horses to make sure they're harnessed properly, but as soon as Gamaliel arrives, he rushes over to assist him into the carriage, setting up a ramp. "You've overdone it, Sir," he says. The concern seems genuine.

"I know, Paul. I'll rest when we get home." He takes the seat facing Renetta, and the strain and exhaustion on his face should be obvious to her. He aged a lot in the year since she was gone, and seemingly even more in the last 12 hours.

Paul closes up the carriage and then gets on the driver's seat thingie to drive them to Uncle Gamaliel's. As Renetta knows, its not a long distance. Perhaps a five or ten minute walk. Paul drives very carefully, avoiding bumps and sharp turns.

After a moment, Gamaliel reaches out and takes Renetta's hand. "I'm sorry your father is such a <elvish word>." The word he uses is a childish insult that roughly translates as 'poopyhead'. Sibling rivalry. Gotta love it.