| Missing the Duel, Part 2 |
| Summary: | Corrie and Einar ponder to tell or not to tell. |
| Date: | 05/2012 |
| Related Logs: | Follows after Missing the Duel |
| Players: |
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| Guest Suite/Room Tordane Tower |
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| Four walls, a bed, stuff |
| Sun 29th Apr, 289 |
It's the morning of the duel and there's a definate sense of expectation in the air, with large amounts of tension and excitment as well. It's still early though, only shortly after breakfast, as Einar Flint makes his way through the corridors of the tower to the room where the Young Lady of his house is currently residing. He's kitted for riding, and has the task of taking the wounded of the levies back home to the Finger, while Ander's attends to his wife, and business in the south. As he had with his good-sister before, he pauses for a moment outside the relevent room and then knocks before awaiting admittance.
Mornings are not really Cordelya's friend at the moment, even if she's finding ways to get through them and the worst of the sickness seems to have passed, she doesn't really get to luxuriate in sleeping in either. So, she is awake, half sitting up in bed, bent over a cup of ginger tea in attempts to keep what bits of food she has left from dinner last night still in her stomach. If she doesn't gain weight soon, she cannot promise Anders the health of this child. And, now that the war is over, that is the most important thing she can do.
"Come in…" She calls to the door, as she hears the knocking. No one but those she trusts would knock this time of the morning. She's still in her night shift, brown hair ragged from the night, thin features looking gaunt and exhausted.
Einar enters when bid and greets Corrie with a polite nod. "Good morning" he offers as a starter, then follows up with "I'm not disturbing you am I? Only I'm about ready to depart and was wondering if you have any messages or whatnot that you wanted taking north?" He half lifts the roll of paper in his hand that had been Tia's answer to the same question, just incase further indication was required. A quick glance around the room spots no Anders, so he adds finding him to the mental check list of things still to do then awaits a response.
Messages. Whatnot. Corrie blinks tiredly, actually realizing this will require her to think this time of the morning, and it's not something she's all that ready for. She exhales slowly, rubbing one hand across her face and straightening her back some as she settles into the pillows propped up behind her against the bed's head board. "…Ah… I… I don't know. You aren't going by way of the swamps, are you? If so… I… I might have things for home. If not…" She bites her lower lip, fingertips momentarily brushing against her middle, "Do you think it is too soon to tell Anders' father?"
Shaking his head slowly Einar confesses that he is not, in fact, going via the swamps. "I'm afraid I'm taking the direct route so as to get the men back to their families as quickly as possible. They have lingered in the south long enough already. There may be time on my return, but I have already promised to call on Broadmoor." He thinks on her second question a moment, unsure of the best answer, then replies, "I think perhaps that that is something that you and Anders must decide, and possibly inform them yourselves. It seems.. wrong, to give such a message my improvised courier." It seems to him at lest, that it's the happy couple's news to tell, not his.
Corrie tilts her head, studying him just a bit deeper now that she's a bit more than half awake. Though just a bit. A drowsy smirk pulls at her small mouth, "I do not think Anders and I are going to be able to trek home for months, if even before the babe comes. I do not know if it is, either, appropriate to let him know by my coming into court, big as a house, and he not having had a clue previously. And a letter is so impersonal. Perhaps you should double check with Anders, but I do think you are the perfect man to bear the news. Part of the family, someone my husband has trusted all of his adult life. I would wish no one else to sing our good news." Her small hand rubs protectively across her belly as she says this, but she is grinning a bit. She always did take a strange bit of pleasure in pushing Einar beyond his zone of comfort.
Einar pauses for a moment, expression thoughtful, but then he figures that Corrie probably doesn't mean him to sing the good news in a literal sense. Once he's over that slight mental block though he simply weighs up her arguement and nods once before agreeing. To a point. "I'll check with Anders then, and see what he says. I still haven't spoken to him yet this morning, and I doubt he'd appreciate me leaving before doing so." A faint hint of amusement touches his features for a moment as he imagines just how the Young Lord would react if he simply sloped off with the remains of the troops. "You don't happen to know where he is do you?" he then asks, figiting a little with the paper he'd produced earlier, "only I don't plan to linger too long this morning." It occurs to him, that the logical place for Anders to be is with the rest of his men, but hopefully Corrie can either confirm or deny that for him.
The question of where her husband is makes Cordelya frown a bit and look over to the empty spot at the bed beside her. She shakes her head quietly, "No, I am sorry. I saw him earlier this morning, when we were still abed, but I managed to go back to sleep. I suppose he did not. Out with the men, maybe? Or to the market? He's been quite determined in ensuring I eat…" That comment makes her smirk just a bit, though it doesn't reach her eyes. She's touched by his efforts, and a bit worried about how bad she looks that her husband has turned into a chef and servant to ensure she eats. But then, her cheeks do prove the fact that she desperately could do with more food.
Her eyes then drop to that paper in his hands, looking a him more curiously. "…Was there something else on your mind, Einar?"
Well, if it wasn't Anders, Einar figures, it'd be himself or Tia, if not both that was doing the checking. All in all means it's probably best it be Anders, what with them being married and all that. "I'm sure I'll find him somewhere," the lad answers truthfully, "after all, this is not so big a town as for him to have become lost in, and he won't have gone far as he knew I was planning on heading out reasonably early. If though," he adds, "we should manage to miss each other and he end up here without me having found him first, could you send him down to the stables? That's probably as good a place as any as I'll be needing my horse." Walk back to the Finger? No thank you. The question though makes him pause and he follows her gaze down then back up again, before answering carefully. "Many things, but then I've akways been told that I think too much." He gives her a faintly rueful smile then glances down to the paper again, shifting it a little between his fingers to indicate that it's the's subject of what he's about to say. "This though? This I can say with clear concience is not one of them.It's a letter from my good-sister to my sister. I just get to play messanger."
At his question of sending Anders down to the stables, Corrie gives an understanding, easy sort of smile and nods. "Of course, but hopefully you will find him. As much as I hate for you to have to go, I know the men are eager to get back to their families, and you are probably eager to get on the road as well. Part of me envies you the travel. I've been stuck in this damned room too long…" Corrie admits with a touch of a sigh, cabin fever clear in her eyes. She always was a bit of an adventurer. To be this sick, this stuck to one place, it's got to be getting to the woman on more than one level.
Then his admission about the letter makes her half smirk. Her head tilts, thin legs pulling up into her chest as she hugs the blanketing over them. She isn't going to show him anything untoward, but she's not exactly sitting properly upon the bed either. "Well then… there is something else on your mind, Einar? Come, you can talk to me. You know that. I shan't let it leave this room…" She coaxes him gently.
Well, Corrie is any partially right in her assertion and thats the heart and soul of the matter really. He wants to get on the road early to avoid any congestion the duel might cause, but he's come to know Corrie well enough to know that he isn't going to be able to get away without giving her some form of answer. Know the fights you can win and all that. He considers for a moment, mulling over his response before finally saying, somewhat cagilly, "We've been away for months now. I'm guess I'm just worried about what expectations they'll have back home." Tapping the paper against his fingers again he then quickly adds, "of course though, if I do end up taking your happy news, then there could well be nothing to worry about on that score."
Her head tilts a bit, trying to read if there is anything deeper there, anything she's missing. But she doesn't really see it. Corrie nods gently to him, giving that same reassuring, tender sort of smile that holds just a bit of elegance behind it all. She's still doing her very best to be the proper Young Lady that Anders needs, even wrapped in her bed cloths and ill. "I think you will be fine. It was a war. Anders' father understands that. Though our news would no doubt be welcomed, even if you do not bring it… " She shrugs, "You are bringing them home. That is good enough."
"I hear it gets better," Einar offers. He's certainly not going to claim to be any kind of expert on such things, but he has enough younger cousins and so on that he's not totally oblivious to how such things progress. "I think perhaps, that Ander's next move will be to the Roost, to talk to Lady Camden, but the port he wants is north of there, most definately on the way home as it were. It may allow you to take the journey in stages." Thats got to be better right? "If he hasn't made a move by the time I get back though, I promise you I'll give him a kick about it. Hows that?"
She gives a tired little laugh, shaking her head slowly, "By the time you get back, I will be half as big as a horse! Who knows if there will be any journeying at all, then. But yes. Perhaps. My wanderings are in Anders' hands now. I'm too bloody tired to think about it either way." Corrie sighs, almost melodramatically flopping back into the pillows of the bed, a few feathers kicking out of the sides of them as she stares at the ceiling. At least she can mock her own condition. Though, it might be one of those if she didn't laugh she would cry situations.
Einar refrains, just, from making a joke about comparing the Young Lady to a horse but he does smile at her own jest. He shakes his head slightly as the feathers fly and then holds his hands up in a mock surrender. "Even I can take that hint Corrie so I shall say my farewell and be off out of your way." Still grinning he then adds "Just remind my dear cousin that he has to groom his own horse while I'm gone, and polish his own armour. You never know, it might do him some good." Or he could get one of the men that's staying to of course, but that wouldn't be as funny a concept to distract Corrie with.
Corrie stares at the ceiling a long few moments before giving a little bit of a groan, quite well and tired of that sight as well. She pushes herself up on her elbows now, looking across her mostly non-existant chest at the younger man. "I think it would do him some good. I'll be certain to tell him you said that, though." She gives him a sweet little smile, "Once you're gone, that is. I wouldn't wish you to be chased out of town. Still, yes… go find him. See if he would like you to convey the happy news or not. Perhaps it really would be best, if it would make your task easier as well. It's so much nicer a think to hear in person than by a raven anyway."
Einar grins again at that, "Yeah, give me until you've both had lunch at least please, make sure I've put enough distance between us so he figures it's not worth a response." And yes, he is hoping there for an implicite promise that Corrie will get a meal inside her as well. The purely practical part of his brain then adds, "You know, I'm not actually sure if tehre are Ravens here trained to fly to the Finger, nor the Roost come to think of it. Before the whole affair we were not exactly in contact." It's certainly possible that there is and he simply doesn't know it, but he doesn't recall hearing any mentioned at any point. "But yes, I shall go find him. Fare well while I am gone Corrie, and keep him in his place for me."
Corrie turns her head, looking at him over the light blanketing of the bed, that pale smile lingering upon her hollowed out features. "Alright, until after lunch, in the very least. And… perhaps it is best you bring the news to Anders' father, then, just incase there aren't ravens. You may be right, and I would hate for him not to know for so long… Ask Anders, but tell him I think you should bring the words." It also means, hopefully, they won't send any more women south to replace Corrie in his affections! She's finally succeeded in her duty!
"Travel safely, Einar. Truly. We… we shall miss you. Please, do not stay overly long? I know our household will not run the same without you…"
"I travel at the head of an army," Einar exaggerates willfully, and with a grin. "And I figure on being gone a few weeks, maybe a month, although you have my word that bar the stop at Broadmoor I promised my cousins then I will hurry back and let nothing delay me." He almost makes a quip about not trusting to leave Anders alone for that long, but then figures he's probably maligened the knight enough for one conversation. He then offers a slight bow and makes to leave, "Thank you Corrie. I shall now go hunt for your husband."
"An army that is eager to see their homes as we are to see you back here, so if you drag about too long, I'll know!" Corrie teases him lightly, but the call of a nap is taking her again. Apparently, this has been enough talking for any given afternoon. She fights it, however, pushing herself finally up and out of the bed even if there is a slackened exhaustion in her stick thin limbs. Unless he steps out quicker, she moves to his side, wrapping herself around him in a tight, close embrace. Even just from bed, she's a bit cool and clammy to the touch, her body nothing but skin and bones. But that doesn't stop the clear love in her hug. "Be safe, Einar. Truly… I do not know what we would do if we lost you."
